


One Floor Up

by Silenthillzone



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Domestic, Alternate Universe - Never Met, Eventual Smut, F/M, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Kinda, M/M, Plot With Porn, Recreational Drug Use, Slow Burn, Smut, sonadow with some minor knouge, strap in kids this is gonna be a long one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2020-04-08 01:55:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 91,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19097389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silenthillzone/pseuds/Silenthillzone
Summary: Shadow and Rouge are government employees who live in a nice, but quiet high rise in Grand Metropolis. Sonic and Knuckles are two carefree university students who happen to move in directly above them.And Shadow hates college kids.





	1. New In Town

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all. So this is an AU ive been crafting for a few weeks and im pretty stoked to share it with the SF. I've planned this out like MUCH better than I normally would for a fic, so expect regular updates every week or so. Some things to note: 
> 
> -This is an AU, in which Shadow and Sonic have never met.  
> -Shadow and Knuckles are 22, Sonic is 21, and Rouge is 24  
> -The rating will go up in later chapters 
> 
> I think that's all for now. Enjoy my dudes.

Shadow feels as if he’s been punched. 

 

Though his normal morning routine typically involves some grogginess, he prefers that over the thunderous crash that clambers against his ceiling. It tares him from his sleep; he’s sputtering and blinking as his brain tries to process the fact that he’s no longer dreaming. His vision slowly fades from blurry clear, the minimalist black furniture surrounding his bed sharpening into view. 

 

At first, he thinks he’s fallen out of bed, but there’s no painful ache in his shoulder or neck. It wouldn’t have been the first time it happened. What could he say, he was a wild sleeper. The few times he’d shared a bed with anyone he’d always awake to complaints about being kicked in the face or elbowed in the stomach. 

 

But none of this answers the question that pounds against his now throbbing skull. 

 

_ What the hell was that sound? _

 

Shadow finally pulls himself up from the mattress and presses his back against his headboard, a gentle hand rubs at the temples of his forehead. His lids fall closed one last time before fully resting open, red eyes travel up to the ceiling above. There are no signs of damage, (not that he thought there would be). The thud may have knocked a bit of dust off his ceiling fan, but other than that, things seem normal. 

 

Maybe he’d just dreamt it. 

 

Regardless, Shadow decides that he isn’t going to dedicate anymore time to staring at the walls. He knows he isn’t going to be able to fall back to sleep, he can already feel his body waking up and his sleepiness fading. His eyes cut over to the clock opposite his bed as he squints at the glowing numbers. 

 

_ 9:07 A.M.  _

 

Hm. He’s slept in much longer than he thinks he would.

 

Shadow brings his hands over his head, cracking and rolling the joints that had stiffened during the night. With one final pop of his shoulder, his arms fall back against the mattress and a heavy sigh exits his chest. 

 

He has absolutely no idea what he’s going to do today. 

 

It isn’t like Shadow ever had much time off. This was one of the rare instances that he isn’t working overtime and the commander actually  _ listened _ to his request to have one moment of peace this week. Well, now that he thinks about it, Vector probably had a hand in pushing it through. The crocodile had voiced his issues before with Shadow going  _ around  _ him with complaints rather than going  _ through _ him. He was his sergeant after all, the commander was supposed to be a last resort. That doesn’t really matter to Shadow, however. He always prefers to handle things directly rather than play a long-winded game of telephone with the one person at the agency who could  _ actually _ get things done. 

 

Rouge is off as well today, coincidentally enough. Shadow isn’t sure whether she’d made her request months ago or if she’d simply chosen today because she knew he’d be off too. If it’s the latter, Shadow already knows that she probably did it so she could pester him into going out later. What is he supposed to say, that he’d be too busy reading?

 

As much as he wants to just spend the day lazing around at home, he isn’t necessarily  _ too  _ opposed to some short little outing with her. He usually gets antsy after about three hours of idling around. It can’t hurt to grab lunch or dinner at some point today. 

 

Shadow’s fur bristles as his feet hit the cold of the hardwood. His lounge pants are a  _ tad _ too long and brush against it as he starts towards his bathroom. The stray glow from the window just barely gives him enough light to see the dimmer switch. White halogen light flood the room as Shadow rubs his stinging eyes. 

 

He can't avoid glancing at his reflection in the mirror that stretches across nearly half his wall, and  _ yeesh,  _ he looks rough. Red and black quills are mussed around his head so haphazardly he looks like he’s been in a fight. His dark circles are especially prominent today, which feels like a slap in the face given that he’s slept  _ twelve hours  _ straight. 

 

Regardless of his frustration, Shadow turns away from the mirror and pulls a plain black towel off the rack next to him. If anything would help his sorry excuse for an appearance, it was a long, hot,  _ well deserved  _ shower. 

 

Shadow winces as he peeled away his layer of pajamas. His t-shirt is sweatily glued to his fur and leaves his chest with a gross, musty feeling. He tries his best not to get an ankle caught in his pants as he throws the shower on, steam pouring out from behind the curtain. With a deep, satiated groan, he eases as the boiling water hit his skin. 

 

There’s something about showering right after waking up—feeling enveloped in warmth while still being just a  _ tad _ bit sleepy—-

 

_ BANG! _

 

Shadow’s heart nearly jumps out of his chest as his feet leave the tub floor. He hears it loud and clear this time, it clangs against the ceiling so hard it shakes the light hanging beside the curtain. A panicked hand shoots out and fights to grasp onto anything that can stop him from colliding with the porcelain, unfortunately to no avail. 

 

With a painful “thud”, Shadow cries out the moment his head bangs against the tile. 

 

“CHAOS—GOD  _ DAMMIT!” _

 

He’s dizzy. He can say without a doubt that the fall has upgraded his slight headache to a full-on migraine. If he tries to get up right away, he knows he’ll be too disoriented to stay upright. So instead of causing himself  _ more  _ potential pain, Shadow gives in and lets the warm jets of water spray over his limp body. It was rare, but he’ll accept defeat this one time. 

 

“You alright in there, sunshine?” 

 

Shadow just barely hears her rap on the door as he blinks lazily.  “I’m fine, Rouge.” 

 

A pause. 

 

“You’re positive? That sounded pretty nasty.”

 

He groans, running a damp hand over his face. “Yes, I’m sure! Now could you give me some privacy and let me finish, bat?” 

 

“Fine, _ fine _ . Yeesh.” 

 

Shadow hears her grumble something unintelligible as she walks away, and if he has to guess, he assumes it’s something along the lines of “fuck you too” or some other string of expletives. Her annoyance is understandable. He  _ is  _ grumpy, afterall. However, he hates the idea of people being in his bedroom more than he hates the pain he’s in. 

 

With hesitant, shaky steps, he climbs his way back to his feet. Any semblance of relaxation he’d had crumbles away as he simply showers just to get it over with. With how his morning is already going, he’s sure this isn’t going to be the last of the “bangs” he hears today. He’d rather not be in such a hazardous place in case it scares the living hell out of him again. 

 

_____

 

“Feeling better I presume?” Rouge watches as a dazed hedgehog comes trudging into the kitchen. “It sounded like you hit something pretty hard in there.” 

 

“I did.” Shadow snakes around their island, wasting no time in yanking a bag of coffee grounds out of the cabinet. “I’ve taken four advil and I’m no further from feeling like I have a concussion.” 

 

“I have some prescription ones if you’d prefer.” 

 

“Rouge, you know I can’t--” 

 

“Relax, it’s just ibuprofen. They gave it to me after that dental surgery I had a few months ago. Never needed it though.” The bat gestures with her head. “Five hundred milligrams. Second cabinet, third shelf.” 

 

Shadow looks up from the coffee maker and towards the cabinet she mentions, debating whether or not he wants to go back to sleep for the rest of the day. In reality, that’s all prescription strength painkillers would do to him anyway. He turns his head, pressing the “brew” button on the machine. 

 

“I’ll be fine.” 

 

“Suit yourself,” Rouge says, not surprised. “Could you be a doll and hand me the champagne from the pantry?” 

 

With a judging look, Shadow leans toward their dark oak cupboard and hands a heavy bottle to her.  “So let me guess, you’ve evolved from all-night bar hops to flat out day drinking?” 

 

“It’s a  _ mimosa _ , Shadow. Don’t be a stick in the mud.” She pours a splash into her nearby cocktail glass. “Besides, I’m only having one glass. I think mimosas are perfectly acceptable breakfast drinks.” 

 

“Just because it has orange juice in it doesn’t make it breakfast.” Shadow returns to his quickly brewing mug of coffee. “But keep telling yourself that, I’m sure habits like this prove beneficial to you in the long run.”

 

Rouge rolls her eyes, taking a sip. “Lighten up a bit, would you?” 

 

“No.” 

 

The whirring of the machine stops, and Shadow’s eyes lock on the grey mug as he lifts it from the counter. He’s become much more dependent on coffee than he wants to admit, but his desire to simply  _ stay awake  _ during the day proves more important to him than being a tad jittery for a few hours. Just as he feels the heat of the steam brush against his lips, he jolts. 

 

**_BANG!_ **

 

Shadow howls as hot liquid splashes against his chest, the pain only somewhat diluted by his thick sweatshirt. He just barely holds onto the mug, struggling to set it down as he snatches the cold, damp dishrag from the counter and presses it to his fur. 

 

“What in  _ Chaos’ _ name is that damn sound?!” He shouts. “It woke me up this morning and nearly gave me a heart attack in the shower! I didn’t take today off just to listen to bombs drop against our ceiling!” Shadow’s attention darts to Rouge as she chuckles, taking another sip of her drink. “What’s so funny?” 

 

“I believe what you’re hearing is our new upstairs neighbors.” 

 

His face goes blank and then twists in confusion. “What are you talking about, bat? We haven’t had upstairs neighbors since that raccoon moved out over a year ago.” 

 

“Aren’t you listening? That’s why I said ‘new’, Shadow.” She makes air quotes. “Maybe you do have a concussion, hm?” 

 

Shadow’s eyes cut to the ceiling again. “And just how do you know this information?” 

 

“I’ve been up since seven. I heard that same banging and clanging and I thought I’d take a peak out in the stairwell just to see what was going on.” She leans over onto her elbow. “I saw a couple of blue hedgehogs and a red echidna hauling a mattress up the staircase. It’s a shame, they probably don’t know this building offers window lifting services.” 

 

The tail end of Rouge’s sentence falls on deaf ears. He’s too busy processing the beginning of it. Neighbors?  _ New  _ neighbors? No, that can't be right. There’s something  _ wrong  _ the apartment above them, that was why their old neighbor moved out. Or at least, that’s what he’d been told. Then again, a year surely was enough time to resolve whatever issue was so bad it forced the previous tenant out. A million thoughts race through Shadow’s head at once. Who were they? Were they going to be quiet like their last neighbor or loud and annoying like their next door one? Why were they seemingly  _ throwing  _ things against the floor? Why was he just finding out about this? 

 

“Hello? Mobius to Shadow.” He blinks as Rouge waves a hand in front of his face. “You in there, hon?” 

 

“...I’m just absorbing this information. That’s all.” Shadow exhales irritably. “How long have they been at this again?”

 

“Since seven.” She replies. “It’s almost ten now, I’m sure they’re almost finished.” 

 

“Well, either way. I’m going up there to have a word with them about all this commotion.” 

 

“Oh come on, Shadow.” Rouge rises from her seat as she sees him slip on a pair of shoes by the door. “They’re  _ moving,  _ for Chaos’ sake. Of course they’re going to make a bit of noise.” 

 

“This isn’t ‘a bit’ of noise, Rouge. It sounds as if there’s an earthquake happening above our heads, and I’m tired of it.” 

 

“Well at least let me go up with you.” She searches for the slippers she’d left somewhere around the living room. “I don’t want you giving them the impression that we’re just some uppity jerks who live below them.”

 

“You care so deeply about what people think of you.” Shadow lowers his lids as she approaches the door. “I don’t understand it, but if you feel you  _ must  _ come, then I won’t stop you.” 

 

“Funny of you to think that you could stop me if you tried.” Rouge opens the door before him, making her way out into the hall as she throws her sweater over her shoulders. “Now come on, let’s get this over with so you can get back to brooding around the apartment all day.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Chaos,”

 

The two stare as the elevator door opens, boxes of all sizes littering the hall. It isn’t difficult to figure out which apartment belongs to their new neighbors given that there’s a trail of miscellaneous objects leading into a wide open door.

 

Which appears to be propped open with a red sneaker, of all things. 

 

Rouge takes the first steps over a few of the obstacles, Shadow follows suit as he narrowly avoids catching his ankle on a smaller box. The scent of fresh paint and lemon cleanser drifts out of the apartment as another loud thud sounds out of the open door. Shadow’s eyes go immediately to Rouge’s, his glare cold and knowing. There’s no one in the immediate view from the entryway, and stepping in would probably be a bit intrusive. 

 

The two share one last glance before Rouge’s hand raps against the doorframe. 

 

“Hello? Anyone in there?” 

 

There’s a sound of shuffling and another, lower, thud. The two notice shadows moving across a far wall before a voice calls out from the end of the foyer. 

 

“Oh, yeah! Coming! Just gimme a sec!” 

 

From around the corner speeds a blue, panting hedgehog. His hand tugs at his collar the moment Shadow notices a patch of sweat building around the neckline of his grey t-shirt. He peers down past the hedgehog for a moment and notices the sheer size of the boxes and furniture they’d brought up, and suddenly he feels a tad less angry with them for dropping things. The poor kid probably let go the moment he’d set foot in the door, everything looks ridiculously heavy.  He nearly trips over a shoebox planted haphazardly in front of the doorway but sticks the landing right before he loses his balance. 

 

“Uh, hi!” The blue hedgehog leans against the door frame, looking between both their faces. “What can I do for you guys?” 

 

Right before Shadow can open his mouth, Rouge speaks over him. 

 

“Well aren’t you a cutie,” She chuckles, earning a small smirk out of the blue hedgehog. Shadow resists the urge to roll his eyes and lets her continue. “It’s lovely to meet you.” She extends a gentle hand. “I’m Rouge, and this is Shadow. We happen live below you, actually.” 

 

The hedgehog quickly returns her gesture, shaking with a calm smile on his face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too! The name’s Sonic,” The moment Rouge lets go of his hand, he reaches towards Shadow, only to be met with folded arms and a disapproving scowl. 

 

“Don’t mind him.” She diffuses. “He can be a bit of a stick in the mud, especially this early.” 

 

Before Shadow can defend himself, Sonic brushes him off and continues the conversation. 

 

“I get that. I’m not much of a morning person either.” He runs a hand through his quills. “Have you guys lived here a long time? You’re the first neighbors that we’ve seen today.”

 

“About two years.” Rouge answers. “This next one’ll be our third. What can we say, I’m a sucker for a view and Shadow loves the minimalist feel.” 

 

Sonic looks back over his shoulder. “Oh yeah, I know, right? The view from our window is incredible. I’ve never lived this high above the ground before, I can practically see all of Grand Metropolis at once.” 

 

“I know, it’s quite breathtaking, isn’t it?” She nudges with her elbow. “Don’t you agree, Shadow?” 

 

He doesn’t say anything. Instead, a small grunt of agreement leaves his mouth as his eyes look away and down the hallway. There’s an awkward pause, and Rouge speaks up again. 

 

“Is it just you up here, hon? Seems a little spacious for just one person.” 

 

Sonic perks up. “Oh no, my roommate is back putting his bed together. Hold on, he can probably come to the door.” He turns away from them for a brief moment. “Ayo Knux! We got company!” 

 

There’s the sound of shuffling, and then a loud voice bellows down the hall. “I’ll be out in a sec!” 

 

The second voice isn’t as high and sounds much raspier than Sonic’s. Although, it does appear that his roommate is in the farthest room; the smaller one if their floorplans match up. In a few seconds, a large, red echidna comes strolling down the hall. His spines are tied back out of his face with a tye-dye printed bandana and he’s drenched in way more sweat than Sonic is. Shadow realizes that it was probably him who did most of the heavy lifting. In comparison to him, Sonic’s pretty shrimpy. 

 

The echidna comes to the door and he looks tired and a bit annoyed, almost as if he’d rather get this interaction over with and get back to assembling cheap, unruly furniture. Rouge is almost immediately entranced, and Shadow isn’t surprised when he realizes it. She scans his figure up and down quick enough that neither of them notices before she speaks up again. 

 

“Well hello there, handsome.” Rouge seems to drop any inhibition in her statement, not that she’d had much to begin with. “And what’s your name?” 

 

“Knuckles.” The echidna replies, leaning against the door frame. “And you are?” 

 

“Rouge,” She offers a hand, and he hesitantly shakes it. “And this is Shadow. Looks like you’ve checked in right above us.” 

 

“Is that so?” Knuckles asks. “What brings you two up here?” 

 

“The noise.” Shadow doesn’t let Rouge cut him off again. “The thumping and banging. These floors aren’t that thick and we can hear everything very clearly from downstairs.” 

 

The two look as if they don’t know quite how to respond, so Rouge jumps in. “Shadow has a tendency to get migraines. Things like loud noises tend to make it worse, y’know? We just wanted to come up and see if you two were close to being done with all the heavy lifting.” 

 

“Oh, yeah. Totally.” Sonic looks apologetic now, his brows contorting. “Sorry about all the ruckus. My parents left a little while ago and it’s a little harder to lift furniture with just us. We’re pretty much done moving stuff around, though. So you shouldn’t hear too much more noise.” 

 

“Thank you kindly, boys. It’s much appreciated.” Rouge eyes linger on Knuckles a bit longer and the echidna clears his throat, obviously not trying to stare back. 

 

Shadow realizes he’s staring at the insignia on Sonic’s shirt. He’s seen it somewhere before. It’s maroon and yellow and eerily reminiscent to the font plastered on banners around the college district of Grand Metropolis. He passes by them nearly every morning on his drive to work. His eyes cut to the echidna’s shorts and he sees the same logo embroidered into the left thigh. 

 

It takes a moment, but then it clicks. 

 

Grand Metropolis University.

 

“Are you two college students?” Shadow knows his tone is abrasive, but he doesn’t really care.

 

Sonic blinks. “Oh yeah. We go to GMU across town. I’m a junior and Knuckles is a senior.” 

 

“Oh, well isn’t that lovely.” Rouge tugs her sweater back on her shoulders. “What are you two studying? Any future lawyers or doctors living here?” 

 

Sonic chuckles and runs his hand back through his quills. “Not quite, I’m a Sports Med major and Knuckles is an Ancient Studies....” 

 

Shadow completely tunes out whatever drivel the rest of the conversation drags on with. He’s too busy back on the same mental racetrack he’d be on earlier. Although he can’t say he was particularly fond of their previous upstairs neighbor, he’d take her early morning saxophone sessions over this any day. 

 

_ College students.  _ It rings through his head again and he feels himself growing more and more infuriated with each second. No, no,  _ no.  _ Living here wasn’t supposed to go like this. Shadow  _ specifically  _ picked this building because it was on the opposite side of town of GMU. Well, that, and Rouge was right, he did like the minimalism of it. Sure, there were other nice complexes in the area, but something about being as far as possible from partying college students sounded far too enticing for him to pass up. 

 

This couldn’t be happening. He moved here for  _ peace  _ and solitude, not to be subject to the bustle of baggage that came with students. This  _ wasn’t happening-- _

 

“Shadow.” 

 

He snaps out of his inner monologue and blinks. All three of them are gawking at him as if their waiting for an answer to something. He searches all their faces, frowning when he can’t find a reason for their stares. 

 

“What?” 

 

“Sonic asked us about the neighborhood,” Rouge informs him. “Come back down to Mobius for a second, will you?” 

 

Shadow looks on at Sonic’s staring green eyes and tries his best not to growl out his response. “It’s fine. Very quiet, very safe, and also  _ very _ far from the university.” 

 

There’s a bit of venom in his last statement, but Sonic looks as if he doesn’t really detect it anyway. 

 

Rouge nods. “That is true. What brings you boys to this side of town, if you don’t mind me asking?”  

 

“Well, we both had pretty bad experiences in the dorms last semester so, we decided to try living off campus,” Sonic says. “Last year, Knuckles lived with some giant cat who always ate all his food and borrowed his stuff without asking.” Sonic nudges Knuckles with his elbow. “Remember that one time you caught him going through your room?”

 

“Don’t remind me.” Knuckles glowers and rolls his eyes. “I  _ just  _ stopped being pissed off about that whole situation. I’d rather not dig up old drama.” 

 

“That’s fair,” Rouge interjects. “Well I’m sorry that you boys had to go through all that, but it’s nice to know we’ll have such lovely young men as neighbors.” 

 

The faintest blush spreads across Sonic’s muzzle and Knuckles face finally softens. Shadow rolls his eyes. Any compliment out of Rouge’s mouth probably would’ve had the same effect.  

 

“As much as I’d love to stay and chat, I have a mimosa waiting for me back downstairs.” She tightens the belt on her sweater and places a hand on Shadow’s shoulder. “It was a pleasure meeting you two.” 

 

“Likewise!” Sonic flashes a wide smile. “I’m sure we’ll run into each other again sometime soon.” 

 

“Preferably.” Rouge looks from his face to Knuckles’ and punctuates her words with a sultry wink. “Ciao boys!” 

 

The two wave as they watch their downstairs neighbors huddle into the elevator. With a quiet “ding”, the doors slide shut and they disappear from view. 

 

There’s a short silence before Sonic finally kicks his shoe out of the doorway, letting it fall closed as he makes a decision to bring those smaller boxes in later. He looks up at Knuckles with raised eyebrows, trying his best not to laugh as he speaks. 

 

“Well, that sure was interesting.” 

 

Knuckles exhales irritably and shakes his head. “You’re damned right it was. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so uptight in my life.” 

 

They make their way back down the hall, pit-stopping in their barren living room. 

 

“Rouge seemed pretty friendly,” Sonic notes Knuckles’ flustered reaction and chuckles. “Maybe a little too friendly?” 

 

“A bit.” He responds. “Subtly is a lost art, I guess.” 

 

Sonic shrugs, sitting down on the one couch that occupies their living room. “She’s pretty cute and seems smart too, I wouldn’t write her off too quickly.” He goes on. “It’s a been a while since you and Julie-Su broke up, dude. I think you should  try and put yourself back out there.” 

 

Knuckles expression hardens at his words and he crouches down to lift a heavier box from the carpet. “How about I make that call, alright Sonic?” 

 

He rolls his eyes, but nods. “Sure, whatever. It’s your life.” 

 

“Thanks.” Knuckles replies, setting the box down in front of his bedroom door. “What about that Shadow guy? What’d you make of him?” 

 

Sonic’s wandered into their empty kitchen at this point, he searches the counters for any semblance of food and remembers he shoved his half-eaten chili dog in the fridge earlier. He re-enters the living room, dripping breakfast in hand. 

 

“Well, like you said. He seems really uptight.” Sonic says in between bites. “All I really got from him was that and the fact that he’s probably gay.” 

 

Knuckles snorts and pokes his head back out of his room. “Are you kidding? How the hell are you able to tell from one conversation?” 

 

Sonic shrugs again, speaking louder. “I’m not sure. I can kinda just feel it.” He says. “You know how Spiderguy has those spidey senses when he’s around people like him? Same concept. It’s like...I can smell it.” 

 

“Yeah, okay. Sure.”

 

“Hey, listen, I was right about Silver,  _ and  _ Blaze,  _ and--”  _

 

“Alright, alright, I get it. You’ve got super gay senses or whatever.” Knuckles cuts him off. “Maybe you’re right. It makes more sense anyway.” 

 

“I know I am.” Sonic shoves the last bite of his chili-dog into his mouth. “Just you wait.” 

 

Before either of them can speak up again, the beep of a descending chime sounds through their living room. Sonic tosses the empty food container into a nearby cardboard box and fishes his phone out of his sweatpants pocket. His eyes scan over the message he’s received and look back up towards the hall.

 

“Ya got a minute, Knux?” 

 

“For what?” 

 

“Tails is asking if we wanna grab lunch somewhere downtown.” Sonic replies. “He doesn’t wanna eat the ‘dining hall slop’.” 

 

“I’m not surprised,” Knuckles scoffs. “We tried to warn him before he decided to live in the dorms.” 

 

“Should I tell him yes?” 

 

He pauses, but eventually replies. “Yeah. Tell him to give us an hour though. I wanna get out of these sweaty clothes.” 

 

“Will do.” Small clicks sound from Sonic’s phone as he types. “And that’s probably not a bad idea. I’ll freshen up too.” 

 

“Good idea, you stink like a rat.” 

 

“Hey!” 

 

“I’m joking, jeez.” Knuckles laughs. “Lighten up.” 

 

Sonic shoves him in the shoulder as he hooks a left into his room, deciding that he could tackle Knuckles later the next time he decides to make a snide comment. 

 

* * *

 

 

Shadow doesn’t speak a word on the elevator ride down or the stroll down the hall. The only sound he makes is after he slams their front door behind them, nearly making Rouge jump out of her skin. 

 

“Chaos, Shadow!” She looks at him incredulously. “What the hell is your problem?” 

 

“ _ My  _ problem?” Shadow scoffs. “It isn’t obvious? Why don’t you ask the two  _ college  _ students who live above us now.” 

 

Rouge lowers her lids as he kicks his shoes off and storms across the kitchen. “You cannot be serious.” 

 

“And why is that?”

 

“They’re incredibly nice young men!” She exclaims. “Just because they’re in college doesn’t mean they’re going to be throwing parties left and right. You’re overreacting.” 

 

“Don’t tell me I’m overreacting!” He seethes. “You’re fully aware that I hate that!” 

 

“Well, maybe I wouldn’t have to if you wouldn’t do it so often!” 

 

Shadow’s fuming at this point and it takes all of his composure not to throw his coffee mug against the wall. His eyes lock with hers and her gaze is unmoving. This is far from the first disagreement they’ve had and it definitely won’t be the last. He bites back the insult that bubbles up on his tongue and instead presses an irritated fingertip into his temple. 

 

“Do you know why I wanted to live here over all the other places we looked, Rouge?” 

 

“Because it’s twenty minutes from our job?” She asks caustically as if the answer is obvious, but Shadow’s shaking head earns a confused look. 

 

“That’s the least important reason. I have a car  _ and _ a motorcycle. Distance is no issue.” He answers. “As soon as I realized this was a college town, I wanted to be as  _ far _ away from that college as possible. That’s why I chose a high rise in the middle of Grand Metropolis. Even if the building  _ was  _ close to the campus, we’d be so damn high off the ground it wouldn’t make a difference either way.”

 

“What’s your point in all this, Shadow?” 

 

“My point is that I’m not fond of the idea of having my peace and quiet taken away from me.” He tightens his grip on his coffee mug. “How the hell can they even afford this apartment? The rent is nearly four grand a month. Broke college kids shouldn’t even be looking in this building’s  _ direction.”  _

 

“I thought I saw an athletic trophy poking out of one of those boxes in the hall,” Rouge admits. “One of them’s probably a scholar. Universities will pay big money to have a star athlete in their student body.” 

 

“Even better.” Shadow’s voice drips with sarcasm as he finally starts walking towards his bedroom. “Either way, I’m going to have a word with the leasing office about this.” 

 

“Shadow, you’re being incredibly presumptive. You’re not even giving them a chance.” 

 

He pauses in his stride, looking back over his shoulder as he speaks. “You want me to be fair? Fine, I’ll be fair. They get one chance.” He says, “But after the first party, I’m complaining.” 

 

Before Rouge can get another word in, Shadow’s bedroom door slams shut with a loud bang. Her eyes bore holes into it for a few seconds before she scoffs and returns to the kitchen. Her mimosa is a bit lukewarm now, but she decides anything is better than sitting and deconstructing Shadow’s logic while sober. She pulls up a stool and takes a long sip, making mental note to get that echidna’s number before the week is out. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Tension on the Eleventh Floor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, a brief note: 
> 
> Both Tails and Amy are introduced in this chap, Tails is 18, (college freshman) and Amy is 19 (college sophomore)
> 
> Aight peace.

Yellow fluorescent lights flicker above Shadow’s head as he trudges into the agency’s breakroom. It’s been four hours since he woke up for the day and he still feels like he’s been ripped from his sleep. His eyes sting and his body still feels heavy with fatigue; it’s taking everything in him not to confine himself to desk duty for the day. Even then, _ maybe _ he’d get an hour of peace before a higher-up came in asking for some menial task or paperwork. The idea’s pointless and he knows it, so he shoves it away and continues his trek to the gurgling coffee machine that sits by the sink. 

 

Shadow hears a bit of low chatter between his coworkers. They don’t appear to be talking about anything of even semi-relevance to him, so he keeps tuning it out. Gloved hands fish through the basket of coffee pods stacked haphazardly next to the machine and he stops the moment he picks out the  _ one _ flavor that won’t give him a toothache. He slams it into the machine and leans over onto the counter, his head in his arms as he lets out a low groan. 

 

Today wasn’t going to be a good day, he could already feel it.

 

“Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.” 

 

Shadow doesn’t need to look up, he recognizes the low, composed voice. 

 

“Well, aren’t you observant.” 

 

Espio watches as he looks over at their table. His eyes are a bit bloodshot and his dark circles stand out against the dark tan of his muzzle. Which could use a shave, now that Espio examines him a bit closer. He sluggishly walks over to the table, digging through his jacket pocket as he sets his mug down in front of him.

 

Shadow rubs his eye with his free hand and speaks up. “Vector,” 

 

The crocodile looks away from the binder and paperwork sprawled out across the tabletop and his glasses just barely stay on his face. He pushes them back up with two, forceful fingers and flips a page before replying. 

 

“What’s eatin’ you, Hedgehog?” 

 

Shadow leans on his elbow. “Out of curiosity, are there any abroad assignments on the near horizon?” 

 

Vector looks up completely from his work. His brows twist into a look of confusion and disbelief as he removes his glasses. “Are you kidding me? Did you not just go cryin’ to the commander about not having enough time off?” Shadow tries to open his mouth to speak, but his boss continues. “He comes barking to me about not ‘communicating’ well enough with you agents and I take it upon  _ myself  _ to give you a few three day weekends.” 

 

“And that’s much appreciated, but--” 

 

“But what? Now you’re tellin’ me you don’t want it? What’s with you, Shadow?” 

 

“I think he may just be trying to get away from home for a bit.” 

 

The three glance up and over to the doorway. 

 

“Morning Rouge.” Vector looks back down at his paperwork and gives her a wave. “You’re late, as usual.” 

 

“I hit some traffic on the way here.” Rouge saunters over to the far corner and shoves her purse into one of the empty lockers. “Cut me some slack, would you sarge?” 

 

“Traffic? Are you kidding me? You two live together!” Vector exclaims. “Stripes got here on time. I don’t understand why you two don’t just carpool!” 

 

“It’s because she refuses to wake up more than thirty minutes before she has to be somewhere.” Shadow finally pulls a small capsule out of his pocket. He cracks it in half, lets the white powder spill into his coffee, and stirs it carefully. “She also doesn’t like my car.” 

 

They send her a few inquisitive looks, and she shrugs. “His seats are uncomfortable. Besides, I’d rather just fly if I can.” 

 

Vector eyes Shadow’s mug and narrows his gaze. “I’m going to assume that that’s not what I think it is.” 

 

He doesn’t respond. Instead, he reaches deeper into his coat pocket and withdraws a single, slightly beat up cardboard box. It sails across the table and stops right in front of Vector’s binder. 

 

“Caffeine pills?” He examines it with concern. “Are you alright, Shadow?” 

 

“I’m sleep deprived. Whether or not you consider that ‘alright’ is up to you.” 

 

Vector takes one last look at the box before tossing it back towards him. “Either of you wanna explain why Stripes is so out of it?” 

 

Rouge finally makes her way over to the table and pulls out a rusted seat. “He claims he’s being kept up at night by our new neighbors.” 

 

“Stop saying ‘claims’ as if I’m making unfounded accusations.” Shadow snaps. “I haven’t gotten a full night’s sleep since those two morons moved in and you know it.” 

 

“‘Morons’?” Vector asks. “This oughta be good. Please, do tell.” 

 

Before Shadow can open his mouth, Rouge interjects with the abridged version of events from last week. Vector watches intently over his glasses while Espio sips calmly at his tea, both of them deeply enthralled in what she has to say. She spends more time babbling on about the echidna than he thinks is necessary, but he doesn’t currently have the mental energy to debate with her. He simply sits back and lets her fill in their coworkers, who seem oddly more intrigued with their personal lives than Shadow’s comfortable with. 

 

“Now I haven’t heard any of whatever Shadow’s referring to.” She admits. “But he’s adamant that every night, one of them does something that wakes him up.” 

 

Espio looks over at him. “Such as?” 

 

“I’ll be damned if I know.” He replies, taking a long swig of his coffee. “All I do know is that it needs to stop before I decide not to be so forgiving complain to the leasing office.” 

 

“Mhmm.” Vector hums. “Have you said anything to them about it?” 

 

“No, he hasn’t.” Rouge answers for him. “If you ask me, I think he’s just looking for something to be angry about.” 

 

“Why would I--” 

 

“I think Wings is right,” Vector speaks up, dragging a long line of yellow highlighter across the page in front of him. “It seems like there’s a very obvious solution to your problem, but you’d rather skulk and be bitter about it rather than actually solve it.” 

 

“It does feel like anger is your favorite emotion.” Shadow sends Rouge a glare at her remark, but she shrugs. “Just an observation, hon.” 

 

“Honestly, Hedgehog. This is probably the most emotive I’ve seen you in a while.” Vector puts down his highlighter. “You gotta lighten up some, all this negativity can’t be good for those supposed migraines you get.” He says. “Not to pry, but really, when’s the last time you got laid or somethin’?” 

 

Shadow glowers at him. “I fail to see how that’s any of your business, Vector.” 

 

“Long time, I see.” 

 

“ _ Very. _ ” 

 

Rouge chuckles at the death stare Shadow gives her. “Both of you need to be quiet.” 

 

“I’m just sayin’. I think that you just need to find yourself a nice broad—“ Shadow gives Vector a knowing look, and he corrects himself. “Sorry, a nice  _ guy  _ and let yourself go for a night. Sex can be a great stress reliever y’know.” 

 

“It’s no use.” Rouge says. “He’d rather huff on cigarettes until his lungs turn to ash than destress with a one night stand.” 

 

Vector sits back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. “Well then, maybe you should just try and get to know them, ey? I’m sure they’re more sensible than you’re makin’ them out to be.” 

 

“I have no interest in fraternizing with college students,” Shadow affirms. “I’ve got more important things to worry about than forming a relationship with someone who’s most pressing concern is passing their next history test.” 

 

Rouge narrows her eyes. “You say that like you’re decades older than them, Shadow. If you’d decided to go to college rather than work here, I’m almost certain you’d be a junior or senior like them.” 

 

Vector agrees, “Yeah, aren’t you like, twenty-two or somethin’?” 

 

“That isn’t the point.” Shadow brings his fingertips together in a thinly veiled attempt to compose himself. “Regardless of my physical age, I’d like to consider myself more mentally mature than the vast majority of my peers.” 

 

Espio decides that he’s finally observed enough to give his input. He’s been sitting back and listening for majority of the conversation, but his tea’s almost gone and he’s run out of physical distractions to keep him from speaking up. 

 

Casually, he places his mug back down on the table and folds his arms across his chest. “This seems oddly childish of you, Shadow.” 

 

The room goes quiet. All three pairs of eyes go to the chameleon who seems unmoved by the sudden attention. Shadow’s gaze shifts from drowsy to bitter, and he tightens his grip on the ceramic in his hand. 

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“I understand your frustration with change, especially given the period of stasis you’ve maintained for some time now, but...” Espio trails off. “I agree with Vector and Rouge in that you’re being incredibly presumptive. I’d expect you to have a more level head about newcomers, especially given the fact that  _ nothing _ has actually happened aside from issues that you yourself are conflating.”

 

There’s an obvious tension across the table now. Even Vector feels it, and typically he tries to steer clear of getting too deep under Shadow’s skin. He knows from experience that poking a sleeping bear only ends up with him getting mauled, so he backs off when Shadow’s bark gets a bit too intense. Espio maintains no such boundaries and honestly doesn’t seem to care. He looks the hedgehog dead in the eye, waiting for a response to the two cents he’s just put in. Shadow eventually chuckles. It’s less light-hearted and more condescending, but still a chuckle. 

 

“Interesting how you seem to know so much about me and my specific situation, yet you’ve lived alone for what, five years at this point?”

 

Espio scowls. “I have neighbors, Shadow.” 

 

“I’m going to assume that you’re smart enough to realize the difference between a house and an apartment.” 

 

“I am, but I also realize you're capable of being more rational than this.” 

 

Shadow scoffs. “The ‘me’ you’re exposed to at work is  _ not  _ the same ‘me’ when I leave this Chaos forsaken place. I can guarantee you that.” 

 

“I just don’t get why you’re trying so hard to make your experiences exclusive.” Espio states. “You think you’re the only person in the world who’s ever lived next to college students?” 

 

“Oh, and  _ I’m  _ the presumptive one?” 

 

“Alright, that’s enough” Vector decides that if he doesn’t stop them now, they’ll end up going back and forth for another hour with this pointless argument. “We don’t have time for this nonsense. Hedgehog, Chameleon, you’ve got ten minutes to get ready for the morning brief before I write you both up for being late.” 

 

The two look somewhat shocked at the threat, but Vector shoos them both towards the door. “C’mon! Chop chop! I’m not kidding around.” He claps. “Get to it, agents!” 

 

Begrudgingly, Shadow pushes himself out from under the table. The legs of his chair screech along the tile as he shoves it back under, slamming his mug in the sink before walking out of the breakroom. Espio gives Vector one last look before following suit. He does so with a much less,  _ dramatic _ exit, however. 

 

The crocodile lets out an exasperated groan before leaning back in his chair. He gives Rouge a tired glance. “How the hell can you live with all that  _ angst _ ?”  

 

She slides her chair out, rising from the table. “After two or so years, you start to get used to it.” 

 

“Yeah, well, I’m glad it ain’t me who’s gotta deal with it.” Vector admits. “Just do me a favor, will ya?” 

 

Rouge turns to look over her shoulder. “That is?” 

 

“For my sake, and everyone else who has to deal with his drama’s sake,” He collects his pens and shoves his binder under his arm. “For the love of Chaos,  _ please  _ try and get that kid laid.” 

 

She’s smirks. “I’ll see what I can do, chief.” 

 

* * *

 

“What about this one?” 

 

Amy climbs up from her squatting position with a fluffy, fringe-covered, red pillow in her hands. She hands it to Tails, who’s already holding three other miscellaneous household items that she’d picked up earlier. They’ve been circling around the home goods aisles of this department store for nearly an hour, and Amy doesn’t seem satisfied with anything she’s seen so far. It’s one of the several places they’ve been to today, and Sonic knows deep down that if she chirps up with one more pit stop before they actually get to go home, he might actually snap. 

 

“I think it’s ugly.” Knuckles wastes no time in his honesty. He’s leaned over on a bright green shopping cart that’s buckling underneath his weight and aimlessly toying with one of the mini-fake plants that Amy tossed in earlier. 

 

She pouts. “It’s such a statement piece though! Sure it may look a little rough around the edges, but...it’s  _ different! It’s.. _ .” 

 

“Oh wait, I think I know.” Tails places the pillow on top of his head like a faux hat and strikes an over dramatic pose. “It’s  _ Avante-Garde _ .” 

 

Sonic and Knuckles snicker at that. Amy’s expression sours into a scowl and she snatches the pillow of Tails’ head, shoving it back into the bottom shelf. 

 

“This is ridiculous.” She starts. “You two come crying to me, asking me to help decorate your apartment because it feels like a ‘prison cell’—“

 

“It does,” Tails interrupts. “It looks like an unfinished video game level.” 

 

Sonic shoves him. “Tails! You’re not helping.”

 

He shrugs. “I’m just being honest.” 

 

“My point exactly.” Amy continues. “And when I take the time out of my  _ busy  _ schedule to help you two shop for decor, no one wants to take me seriously!” 

 

“We are taking you seriously, Ames.” Sonic squeezes past the cart and manages to get by without knocking things off the shelves. He places a reassuring hand on her shoulder, not shaken by her attempt to move away from his touch. “We’re just a little tired, as all. This like, what, the fifth store we’ve been to today?” 

 

“The _ third, _ Sonic.” She replies. “You’re acting like we’ve been out all day. We left after breakfast and it’s barely noon.” 

 

He runs a tentative hand through his quills, leaning on the shelves behind him. “I dunno. I guess I just...didn’t think it was gonna take this long?” He admits.  “I mean, Your dorm looks really nice. I guess I just thought we’d go to Emerald Outlet Mall, pick out some decor or whatever and be done with it.” 

 

“Well, first off, thank you for complimenting my decorating skills.” Amy says cockily. “Second of all, you thought this would be a quick little outing? You really know nothing about interior design, do you?” 

 

Knuckles snorts. “Clearly. Have you seen his room? We’ve been there a week and it already looks like a disaster area.” 

 

“Hey Knux,” Sonic glares at him. “Shut up.” 

 

“I can imagine.” Amy gives him a judging look. “This is why I think carefully planning out your living space will help with your clear lack of organizational skills.” 

 

“Okay, now you guys are just being mean.” He pushes off the shelves and folds his arms in a huff. “I just wanted to spice up our apartment a little bit and now I’m getting made fun of just cause I’m not the  _ neatest  _ person in the world.” 

 

“We’re not making fun of you, we’re just trying to help.” Amy takes hold of Sonic’s wrists tries her best to match his avoidant eyes. “And we’re almost done here, I promise. Just work with me.” 

 

Tails makes his way back into the group; he can see that Sonic’s getting frustrated and antsy, so much so that he might give up on valuable help. They really did need Amy’s input. He’s only been over to their apartment once since they moved in, and even with the minimal furniture that Sonic’s parents were able to donate, it still feels  _ barren _ . There’s no decor, no color, zilch. There’s nothing that makes it seem like people actually live there, or anything that screams “Sonic” or “Knuckles, for that matter. 

 

“I think it’d be a good idea if Sonic and I took one last look around.” Tails speaks up, grabbing their attention. “I think I have a pretty decent understanding of his whole...” He gestures widely at him. “Aesthetic.” 

 

Amy glances at him for a moment before looking over to Knuckles, and then over to Sonic. She purses her lips, heavily contemplating the suggestion and finally nodding in response. “I guess that should be...okay.” 

 

“Great! See you in twenty!” Tails grabs Sonic’s arm. “We’ll meet you up at the registers, alright?” 

 

Before Amy can reply, Tails is already ushering him down the opposite end of the aisle and back into the bedroom section of the store. Sonic nearly trips over his own feet as Tails swoops around him, shuffling through different items on the shelves while he watches on with wide, confused eyes. 

 

“Um.” Sonic lurches when he tosses a bed-set into his arms. “Tails?” 

 

“I’m just picking up a few things so Amy won’t think we wasted her time.” He stacks a red-checkered throw pillow on top. “Besides, I could tell you guys were starting to get on each other's nerves. I’ll try and channel my inner Amy and pick out things that at least kinda go together.” 

 

“Phew.” Sonic lets out a sigh of relief. “Thanks, little buddy. You’re a lifesaver.” 

 

“Don’t sweat it.” He gives a warm smile over his shoulder. “So how goes it with that whole stuffy neighbor situation?” 

 

Sonic blinks. It takes him a second, but he realizes that he’d forgotten he’d told Tails about the whole “Shadow” debacle. Granted, his main focus this week had been getting acclimated to his classes and the workload of track practice, so he decides he won’t beat himself up about it. He rocks back on his heels a bit and thinks of the best way to phrase what he’s about to say. 

 

“Ehhh, not great, but not terrible either.” 

 

Tails furrows his brows. “Elaborate.” 

 

“Well, he hasn’t come back up since the day we moved in.” Sonic starts. “Sometimes I’ll hear banging against my bedroom floor, which I can only assume is him. Rouge doesn’t seem that passive aggressive.” 

 

“I was just gonna say, that sounds pretty petty.” 

 

“It is, but I’d rather him do that then come up and chew us out again.” He continues. “I mean, I’ve seen him a few times in the elevator when I’ve gone down to take the trash out and stuff.” 

 

Tails looks intrigued. “And?” 

 

“And nothing,”  Sonic shrugs. “He doesn’t really say anything. I’ve tried to start a conversation a couple’a times, but it seems like he’s hellbent on ignoring me or something.” 

 

“That’s...odd.” Tails trails off. “Especially since you barely know each other.” 

 

“I know right? It’s really bizarre.” Sonic takes this pause as an opportunity to squat down next to his brother, casually searching through the shelves in an attempt to make himself look at least  _ somewhat  _ busy. “I mean, he seemed pretty weird after we told him we went to GMU.” 

 

Tails gives a puzzled look. “Weird how?” 

 

“He was almost...more hostile?” Sonic winces as his expression melts into one of concern. “Not like, physically hostile. Relax, lil bro.” 

 

“I know, Sonic.” He says. “I’d like to think any rational adult has more sense than to go picking fights with strangers.” 

 

“Yeah, well....” Sonic rolls his eyes. “I still think its bonkers. Like, the moment I even mentioned college, you could visibly see the anger in his eyes.” 

 

“Well, even though I don’t necessarily approve, I can  _ kinda  _ see where he might be coming from.” Tails picks up a red, analog alarm clock, examining it carefully before Sonic shakes his head. He places it back down and shrugs. “After all, GMU does have a reputation for being a party school.” 

 

Sonic grimaces. “Okay, even though that might be true, it still doesn’t make it okay to be rude to us.” 

 

“I said understandable, not justified.” Tails rises from his sitting position and taps a finger on his head. “Pay attention for once, will you?”

 

Rather than respond, Sonic takes a tighter hold of the comforter in his arms and starts down the aisle. “Come on, let's go find Amy and Knux. I’ve had enough of this whole store hopping thing for today.” 

 

Tails pushes off his knees and walks after him, trying his hardest to keep up. They hook a few lefts around miscellaneous aisles and cut through the home improvement section, to which Sonic practically has to yank his brother out of by his arm. He huffs in annoyance but eventually submits to his brother’s will. By the time they make it to the front, they just narrowly beat out a pair of owls for their place in line behind Amy and Knuckles. She turns on her heels the moment they toss their things onto a conveyor belt, eyebrows raised at an impatient Sonic and out-of-breath Tails. 

 

“Welcome back.” She smirks, eyeing the belongings they’ve shoved behind hers. “Red stripes? Seems kinda plain but, on brand. I’ll accept it.” 

 

“Uh, last time I checked, we were decorating  _ my  _ bedroom. Not yours.” Sonic irritably says. “Besides. I wanna go home. I haven’t eaten in like, three hours.” 

 

“Oh, you poor, poor thing.” Amy rubs away a fake tear. “However will you go on? You must be absolutely  _ famished _ .” 

 

“I don’t need the sass, thank you.”  

 

“He probably just wants to see if he can “accidentally” catch Shadow in the elevator again.” Knuckles snickers when Sonic side-eyes him. “What? Didn’t you just tell me last night that you think he’s attractive?” 

 

“In  _ confidence,  _ yes I did.” 

 

Amy blinks, looking across both their faces. “Excuse me? What am I missing here? What are we talking about?” 

 

A look of dread washes over the boys faces as Knuckles realizes he’s messed up. Sonic is suddenly slapped with the realization that he’d told all of his close friends about this whole neighbor debacle,  _ except  _ for her. And from past experience, they already knew about Amy and her strenuous relationship with being left out of the loop. Her and Sonic’s eyes are locked. Her head tilts as she places her hands on her hips, narrowing her gaze as she speaks. 

 

“Sonic?” 

 

“Amy.” 

 

“ _ Sonic.”  _

 

_ “Amy.”  _

 

“Sonic!” She punches him in the arm. “Stop playing games with me! What’s going on?” 

 

He opens and closes his mouth a few times before Tails decides he’s had enough of this nonsense and decides to speak for him. 

 

“Sonic and Knuckles have two super hot downstairs neighbors who hate them both already.” Sonic gives Tails an incredulous look, to which he shrugs. “What? You were beating around the bush so I thought I’d just make it easy for you.” 

 

“First of all, Rouge doesn’t hate us.” He retorts. “Second of all why does everyone keep putting emphasis on the ‘hot’ thing? Jeez! I mention it one little time and—“

 

“I cannot believe this.” Amy’s voice jerks their attention back. She’s looking at Sonic with wide eyes and angry brows. “Are you kidding me?! Why didn’t you tell me about this?! You’ve got two new neighbors and you’ve started drama with them already?! You’ve lived there a week!” 

 

“ _ I  _ didn’t start anything! It’s  _ Shadow  _ who—“

 

“Oh ho ho, ‘Shadow’. Is that the other one? He’s the one Knuckles is talking about I assume?” 

 

The echidna flashes a thumbs up. “Yep.” 

 

“You guys! Quit it!” Sonic snaps. “This is ridiculous. Stop airing out all my business!” 

 

“Well, maybe they wouldn’t have to if you would just keep me in the loop!” 

 

“Ma’am?” 

 

The two hedgehogs tear away from each to realize their shrimpy chipmunk cashier has already rung up everything they’d collectively thrown onto the belt. He looks up with a hesitant laugh and gestures to the card reader.    
  


“Your total is 86.59.” 

 

They look back at each other and Sonic gives a nervous chuckle before rubbing anxiously at his quills. “I’ll pay you back?” 

 

Amy scowls at him for a good ten seconds before angrily digging her wallet out of her purse. She stomps over to the machine and shoves her credit card in, grumbling under her breath. 

 

“You’ve got a week.” She says. “And as soon as we get to your apartment, you’re  _ finishing  _ this story.” 

 

“Fine, fine. I owe you that.” Sonic lets up, waving his hands reassuringly. “Thanks Ames.” 

 

She yanks her card out of the reader as it beeps. “Don’t mention it.” 

 

* * *

 

Sonic manages to parrot off a good amount of the details on the drive back. Amy fights Tails for the empty space between the two front seats as she listens to he and Knuckles recount the ordeal. She seems utterly enthralled in their newfound living drama, almost to a point of concern for Sonic. Amy hauls the handfuls of shopping bags into their building lobby with nearly no issue, she leaves the heavier things for the boys to struggle with, she’s done enough of the heavy lifting today. 

 

They manage to dump some of the heavier things onto a luggage rack to make their trek up to the eleventh floor slightly less tiresome. Sonic forgets about the apartment’s guest check-in policy as the four cruise by the front desk, nearly colliding with the security guard who immediately points them back towards it. He chalks it up to the fanciness of the building, but still rolls his eyes as he starts back in the direction they came. 

 

“Good afternoon Mr. Hedgehog.” The coyote behind the desk flashes a warm smile. “Having a little get together today, I see?” 

 

“Yeah, something like that.” Sonic leans onto the granite, nodding with a dismissive gesture. “Two guests. Probably until tomorrow afternoon.” 

 

The attendant nods and goes typing away at her computer. His short attention span doesn’t let him focus on her for more than thirty seconds before he looks away, his eyes aimlessly bouncing around the colossal expanse of their lobby. Sonic notes the weirdly dim lighting and strange placement of the small cafe by the door, only to pale when he meets a certain pair of eyes. Knuckles barely notices his quills standing on end. He leans over and gives him a nudge, questioning quietly. 

 

“You good, Sonic?” 

 

He looks back over and tilts his head towards the dining area of the cafe. “Five o’clock. All black, first table.” 

 

Knuckles squints in the direction he points out, and has nearly the same reaction he’s met with the same intense, green eyes. 

 

“Shit.” He curses under his breath and tries his best to remain nonchalant as he looks away. “You think she noticed?” 

 

Sonic scoffs. “I don’t know Knuckles. She was looking right at us, what do you think?” 

 

“I think you’re right.” The echidna looks back towards the cafe. 

 

He doesn’t realize what he’s talking about at first, but the moment Sonic turns around to see Rouge strolling towards their group, he jolts. Her boots clack against the marble as she approaches them, half-empty coffee cup in one hand and purse in the other. Sonic tries his  _ best  _ to act natural and not panic; he waves like an idiot when she’s finally close enough. 

 

“Well hello again, boys.” Her voice draws the full attention of the group.

 

“ _ Heyyy,  _ Rouge.” Sonic’s voice cracks, and he elbows Tails when he hears him snicker. “How’s it going? You look awfully...” He hesitates. “Formal.” 

 

“I had a little meeting at work earlier.” She smiles, taking a sip of her coffee. “I hate to go in on a weekend, but you know our government. All work and no play. Makes me wish I was a carefree college kid again like you all.” She looks past him. “Speaking of which, who’re your friends here?” 

 

Before Sonic even gets the chance, he’s shoved aside by a certain eager hedgehog. 

 

“Hi there! I’m Amy, Amy Rose. I’m Sonic’s friend.” She shakes the hand Rouge offers. “And you must be Rouge! These two knuckleheads were just telling us about you. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

 

The bat gives a thankful nod. “All lovely things, I hope. The pleasure is likewise.”  

 

Sonic relaxes. He initially thinks that Rouge is going to complain to them about something, but he’s more than thrilled that she seems completely unbothered by anything they might’ve done in the past week. He lets out a strained laugh and shoves his hands in his pockets, returning her smile. 

 

“Y’know. We’ve all got other stuff going on besides school. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows.” Sonic gestures to Tails, who gives a shy wave in response. “My lil bro here’s insane. He’s a scholar, double major,  _ and _ he’s already running for student government this year. I’d never compare.” 

 

Tails chuckles bashfully, nudging Sonic back. “Oh come on. It’s not that impressive.” He admits. “Sonic’s spends  _ hours _ at track practice like, every day. That’s a level of dedication I can’t even fathom.” 

 

“You run track? How coincidental.” Rouge says in awe. “I thought you might’ve been an athlete. It’s funny, Shadow used to run track pretty religiously in high school. Now he only really goes out every few days for a run around Hexaco Park.” 

 

“Uh-huh.” Sonic feels his heart sink a bit when she mentions Shadow. He had a feeling the conversation might take a turn towards him. “And uh...how’s he doing?”  

 

“Not too bad.” Rouge lies. “He’s been a little crankier than usual, I’ll admit that.” 

 

Knuckles scoffs. “‘Than usual’? He was pretty damn crotchety when we met him too.” 

 

Rouge lets out a giggle and shakes her head. “Maybe about the same, if I’m being honest.” She says. “I’ve actually been meaning to say something to you two about him, I just didn’t know if I’d run into you again so soon.” 

 

Knuckles raises an eyebrow. “And that would be?”. 

 

“He’s too prideful to come and say it himself but, I wanted to apologize on his behalf.” Sonic and Knuckles share a confused glance as she continues. “I assure you that Shadow isn’t as abrasive as he seems, he’s just  _ incredibly  _ stubborn.” 

 

She lets her coffee cup fall in a nearby trash bin as her hand finds its place on her hip. She’s trying her best not to make Shadow sound  _ worse  _ in the process of trying to cover for him.    
  


“When we first met back in high school, I got the brunt of all that hostility.” She admits. “I swear, it’s like someone put a grumpy old man in the body of a twenty-two-year-old.” 

 

That takes Sonic by surprise. If anything, he’d thought Shadow was nearing his thirties, if not already well into them. Learning that he was only a  _ year  _ older than him felt like more than a shock, to say the very least. 

 

“Listen,” Knuckles inserts himself back into the conversation. “This is all really noble of you to come and say sorry for him, but honestly. He’s a grown man and he shouldn’t need someone to speak on his behalf.” He declares. “If Shadow wants to come and apologize for being a dick to us, then he can do it himself.” 

 

Rouge looks a bit taken aback by his statement, but eventually settles back and gives him a small nod. “Well, I suppose that’s fair. I’ll try and relay the message if he cares to hear it.” She pulls her purse back up onto her shoulder. “Either way, I still stand by what I said before. I’m glad to be your neighbors and I hope that all goes well for you boys with school and the like.” 

She makes her way around the four of them. “I hope you all have a lovely day.” 

 

Rouge strides into the elevator with a coy smile, giving Knuckles a wave prior to the doors sliding closed. The four stand awkwardly beside the front desk, giving each other quizzical looks before Amy finally blurts out. 

 

“ _ That’s  _ the woman that was flirting with Knuckles?!” 

 

Sonic and Tails crumble into laughter while the echidna growls, shooting her a sharp glare over their heads. 

 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” 

 

“Forgive me but, she’s gorgeous, well-spoken, and seems incredibly intelligent.” Amy retorts. “You’re not exactly known for your brains.” 

 

“Why you little fucking--” 

 

“Guys, guys,” Sonic finally recovers from his fit and leans onto Tails for support. “Come on. You guys can fight all you want in the apartment. Let’s just try and get all this stuff upstairs first, yeah?” 

 

Despite still staring daggers into each other, the two break off from their bickering and follow Sonic’s direction. The luggage cart nearly gets caught on a couple of loose bricks in the lobby, but they manage to make it up without a hitch. As the elevator opens on their floor, Sonic’s eyes linger on the tenth-floor button before the rest of the gang ushers him out. It takes a minute, but he realizes he’s subtly hoping that Shadow actually  _ will  _ come and speak for himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So I hope you enjoyed this chap, I had a lot of fun writing it and thanks for all the lovely comments on the last chapter! Depending on when I get the next few chapters finished, this might or might not be a bi-weekly updated fic. (Most likely not, but I just wanted to throw that out there). 
> 
> Oh, and if you're asking yourself, "hey, why's Tails and Amy's time skip so weird in comparison to the others?" just know that its because I wanted them to actively play a role in the story, but I couldn't find an interesting way for the main cast to interact with high schoolers/middle schoolers, so I just decided to save my self the headache and have them all be college-aged for the sake of plot progression. 
> 
> Aight, I'm done rambling. See ya in the next update!


	3. Goose Chase

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!! Here's an early update because I've got some stuff going on this wednesday, so have a few days early instead :D. (This'll probably change the update today to every monday so just a heads up. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

The air is sticky, and Sonic’s already sweating.

 

He’s admittedly over the late summer heat. They’re already having issues with the central air in their apartment, and maintenance had yet to even _evaluate_ the problem, let alone fix it. Sure, he could drop by the building’s pool to cool off, but he’s an awful swimmer _._ At least, that was the lie he’d told the leasing agent who’d suggested the idea. Truth be told, he can’t swim by any stretch of the imagination, and he has no intention to learn.

 

This lands him outside. It’s hotter inside their apartment than outdoors, so he opts to spend the night out in Hexaco Park across from their building. He thinks Rouge has it mentioned before. If not, maybe he heard a resident mention it in passing, he couldn’t really remember.

 

He wipes the sweat off his fur as he strolls down a long stretch of sidewalk, bobbing to the music in his headphones and enjoying the aroma of the tiger lilies planted along the pathway. The park is oddly populated for this time of day. For ten o’clock at night, Sonic sees more couples and children then he’d really been hoping for.

 

He decides that the expanse of cobblestone jutting out across the park is a decent place to start his run. Just as he spots the fountain he’s going to stretch on, he lights up.

 

It’s him.

 

Sonic sees the familiar striped quills of a certain, stuffy hedgehog. He’s perched on the edge of a gigantic stone fountain, typing aimlessly away at his phone. Black must’ve been his favorite color, and Sonic knows that Shadow has to be hot in all that dark clothing. He doesn’t mean to stare, but he recalls what he’d said to Knuckles a few days ago. Shadow’s not unattractive by any standard, and he guiltily doesn’t mind lingering a bit on those exposed shoulders. He’s snapped out of his daze the moment a stray jet of water hits Shadow’s fur and his quills stand on end. He stands up, bends over, and shakes himself dry like a dog before plopping back down.

 

It’s incredible what people do when they think no one’s paying attention.

 

Despite every logical part of his brain telling him not to approach, Sonic does so anyway. He has no idea what he’s going to say or how exactly he’s going to grab Shadow’s attention, but hey. He’s got about twenty or so feet to figure it out.

 

“Hey there!”

 

Shadow looks up and immediately gives him a less than pleased expression. This isn’t what Sonic’s hoping for, but doesn’t immediately ignore him like he thought he would. It’s already a better start than he’d anticipated.

 

“How’s it going, Shads?” Sonic winces at the disapproving look Shadow gives him. Maybe it was a tad too early for nicknames.

 

“I _was_ doing fine.” He replies, looking back down at his phone. “Up until ten seconds ago.”

 

“Huh, that’s pretty coincidental.” He knows he’s playing dumb, but Sonic’s too prideful to admit that he’s actually annoying him. “Was that when you got hit by that fountain water? Cause I totally get it, I hate water too.” He goes on.  “I almost drowned one time when I was eight, right off Emerald Coast. I don’t think I’ve ever been the same since, honestly.”

 

 _Okay, what the hell was that?_ Sonic realizes that he’s nervously overshared far too late; Shadow gives him a bewildered stare before brushing off the comment, climbing to his feet.

 

“Is there something that you need, Hedgehog?”

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What’s with all the formalities?” He voice cracks. “The name’s ‘Sonic’, remember? I’d like to think we’re at least on a first name basis, y’know?”

 

“I disagree.” Shadow’s gaze is cold as he crosses his arms. “Now, do you have any other reason for disturbing my peace other than to pester me? Or may I continue with my run?”

 

“There’s no need to be so hostile, dude,” Sonic says. “I was just being polite. Y’know, being ‘friendly’, acknowledging your existence?”

 

“I don’t feel the need for such decorum, especially with those who are practically strangers to me.” Before Sonic can open his mouth to reply, Shadow turns away. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to go on about my business.”

 

The striped hedgehog takes off with no hesitation, nearly shocking Sonic with how quickly he dashes out of sight. He’s pretty fast himself; the fastest in the country, according to the Soumercan Junior Athletics Association. Rouge did mention before that Shadow used to run track, but he’d admittedly brushed the comment off. By his standards, it honestly didn’t mean much. A lot of people ran track, but few proved to be any _competition_ for him. Sonic feels something ignite deep in his chest as he stared at the spot where Shadow once was. Despite his callousness, his indifference, and his hostility, he’s teased Sonic with something he hasn’t felt in a while.

 

A challenge.

 

He doesn’t bother with stretching. He can already hear his coach scolding him in the back of his head, but he doesn’t care. Sonic darts off in the direction he’d seen Shadow run in, lavishing in the cool, night breeze that brushes along his fur. He dodges a few unsuspecting bystanders as he winds around the park, hopping over a bench in order to shortcut across one of the path’s wider curves.

 

Shadow’s faster than he expects; he just barely makes out his form as he approaches the far end of the park. He’s running like he’s in a marathon, but it doesn’t take long for Sonic to finally catch up. He hangs back a bit, not wanting to ride Shadow’s coattails too heavily.

 

Shadow’s music isn’t loud. He’s still attuned to his surroundings, and in between the lulls of the beat he knows he can hear a second set of footsteps behind him.

 

He groans under his breath. He doesn’t have the time or the patience for this foolishness and he certainly isn’t about to give Sonic the satisfaction he wants. Without giving it a second thought, Shadow eyes the strip of road coming up on his side and hangs a sharp right, dashing across traffic with no falter whatsoever.

 

 Sonic skids to a stop, nearly tipping on his toes as he narrowly avoids running in front of an oncoming car. The SVU honks and charges off in front of him, distracting him only long enough for Shadow to finally make it across six lanes of traffic. He waits a moment, catching his breath before giving a determined look. His head whips over his shoulder and he follows suit, sprinting across the street with all he’s got in him.

 

The light turns green faster than Sonic expects, and he pisses off yet another cranky driver who blares their horn at him. He smiles nervously and sprints the rest of the way, trying his hardest not to look back at the driver who most definitely flipped him off. His feet land on the cement and he briefly jogs in place, whipping his head around to try and spot the direction Shadow went in. At that moment he’s thankful for Shadow’s odd coat color, because the second he catches a glimpse of those red and black quills, he barrels off in that same direction.

 

Luckily, the city streets aren’t ridiculously populated for this time of night. It’s a Sunday night and the only people out are aimless teenagers and bums wandering around. Sonic feels himself catching up to Shadow. He’s actually hauling ass, which is a strange but refreshing feeling for him. He’s less than a few yards away, so he gives this last stretch all he’s got. Sonic picks up the pace, hoping to at least dash by Shadow’s side and give some cocky smirk, or something of the like.

 

To his dismay, however, his entrance is nowhere near as graceful. Shadow stops dead in his tracks. Sonic realizes this far too late, and he ends up colliding directly into his back with a painful smack. The black hedgehog nearly topples over, catching himself with his hands and knees on the pavement. Sonic stumbles backward, tripping back onto his ass and howling at the sensation of his pelvis against cement.

 

Shadow pushes himself back up onto his feet, fire in his stare as he turns to look at Sonic. He rips his headphones out of his ears and storms over to him, bright red eyes boring holes into the nervous runner below him.

 

“What the _hell_ is your problem?!” Shadow barks. “Are you _insane_? What in the world compelled you to _chase_ me through the fucking city?”

 

Sonic’s eyes go wide. Shadow’s genuinely pissed, and now he has to throw out his initial idea of playing everything off like it was an accident.

 

“I....” Sonic tries his best not to get to intimidated by Shadow’s stare. “I just wanted to have a normal conversation. That’s all.”

 

“And you decided to go about that by _following_ me around like some sort of lunatic?!”

 

“Well, I have your attention now don’t I?!” Sonic finally climbs to his feet. “It’s not like you’d give me the time of day otherwise! I swear to Chaos, talking to you is like pulling teeth!” 

 

“Then why bother, Hedgehog? Clearly, you’re not very good at taking hints.”

 

“Because I don’t understand!” Sonic exclaims, throwing his hands up in frustration. “I don’t get what the hell I’ve done to you to make you loathe us so much! It’s barely been two weeks and you’re acting like we’re the worst people on Mobius!”

 

Shadow takes a step back. He hasn’t known sonic long, but he can tell this isn’t his normal demeanor. His chest is heaving and his muzzle is reddening; he’s clearly very worked up about this.

 

“You know that Rouge went _out_ of her way to come and tell us that you’re not a bad guy, you’re just stubborn!” He goes on. “And I believe her, but you’re not making it easy. Honestly, Shadow. You have some nerve asking me what _my_ problem is, because I should be asking you the same thing!”

 

He folds his arms across his chest, narrowing his eyes at the worked up hedgehog. “I’m under no obligation to explain myself to you.”

 

“That may be true, but given that Knuckles and I are gonna be living above you for another eight and a half months, we’re going to have to get used to each other,” Sonic says firmly. “I trust Rouge’s judgement, Shadow.”

 

“I don’t need her to speak for me.”

 

“Then speak for yourself!” He urges, taking a step closer.” How can we resolve this? What’s it gonna take?”

 

They’re eye to eye. Sonic tries his best to calm down as he didn’t plan on being this confrontational. If he was being honest with himself, he _hated_ conflict. Knowing that he had some sort of unresolved issue with someone he’d be seeing so often would keep him up at night. He swallows, waiting for Shadow’s response. He’s so adamant about this for his sake, but for his own peace of mind.

 

Shadow loses a few layers of ice and he lets out an exasperated sigh, bringing his hand to his forehead. “What is it that one of you does in the middle of the night?”

 

Sonic blinks. “What?”

 

“Every night around midnight, one of you does something that I can hear very clearly through the floor, and it wakes me up. What is it?”

 

It takes a second, but the moment Sonic realizes what he’s referring to, he chuckles nervously.

 

“Oh, um...”

 

Shadow raises an eyebrow. “Well?”

 

“I um--sometimes my practice meets for my track team run a little longer than expected.” He starts. “And sometimes I end up back home really late, so I don’t get a chance to start my _schoolwork_ until really late.”

 

Shadow gives a puzzled look. He’s not sure where Sonic’s going with this, but he listens as he continues.

 

“I like to put on music sometimes when I’m studying,” he says. “And I may or may not occasionally get distracted by....um.” He swallows. “The overwhelming urge to dance to it.”

 

Shadows eyes go wide. He doesn’t know what he’d expected Sonic to say, but it certainly wasn’t that. The poor kid looks embarrassed, his muzzle is bright red and he’s got an uneasy smile pinned to his cheeks. He’s rocking back and forth on his heels like a toddler that’s just been caught sneaking cookies.

 

Worst of all, Shadow has to desperately shove the urge to laugh back down his throat.

 

“Just...” It fails. He snickers through his nose but quickly falls back into his poker face. “Just have your little performance a little earlier, and don’t do it in your room.”

 

Shadow can see the relief wash over him. He lets out a laugh that sounds a bit strained and nods agreeably.

 

“I think I can manage that.”

 

“....Good.” Shadow reaches for his phone, pulling the wires trailing along the ground back into his hand. He carefully places his headphones back in his ears before turning back towards the Hexaco Park. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to finish my run.” He deadpans. “ _Alone.”_

Before Sonic can reply, he’s gone. All he sees is a blur of red and black as he tears towards the canopy of trees that line the edge of the park. He looks back down at himself, noting the scuff marks on his sneakers and the soreness in his hands from falling. Normally, he’d shake it off. Tonight, however, he’s decided his body’s probably had enough of his shenanigans. He bounces a bit in place before finding his apartment building among the skyscrapers. He starts back that way, all while keeping in mind that he thinks he caught a glimpse of that “good guy” Rouge was referring to.

 

It was written all over that little smile.

 

* * *

 

 

“Had a little fun on your run, I presume?”

 

Shadow nearly jumps out of his skin when he hears Rouge’s voice in the dark of their living room. He doesn’t know why he didn’t catch her out of the corner of his eye, but she’s sitting by the balcony doors with a wine glass in one hand and her cellphone in the other. The glow illuminates her face in a way that’s almost haunting as she smiles like a cheshire cat.

 

He drops his water bottle on the end table near their door and flicks on the kitchen light, glaring at her as her grin widens.

 

“I’m not in the mood, Rouge.”

 

She pouts, tilting her head. “Well, that’s too bad. You didn’t tear Blue’s head off down there, so I thought you might be making some progress. I was about to congratulate you.”

 

Shadow stops in his stride to the kitchen, looking over his shoulder with narrowed eyes. “You saw?”

 

Rouge nods and takes another sip of her wine. “I was getting a little fresh air when I happened to see Blue trailing you through Hexaco Park.” She giggles. “I may or may not have flown a little closer. Not too close though, apparently. You didn’t realize I was there.”

 

“Tell me, Is it physically impossible for you to mind your own business?” He throws open the fridge, scouring through the drawers for something to quell his growling stomach.

 

“It’s hard, but not impossible,” Rouge admits. “So what did Blue want, if you don’t mind me asking?”

 

“I do mind.” Shadow slams the door shut with an apple in hand. “Pester me some other night.”

 

She leans back in her chair, giggling even harder at his indifference. She’s clearly tipsy; Shadow’s seen it enough times to know the telltale signs of her being one glass away from slurring her words. She leans further onto her elbow, the wine nearly tipping out onto their beige carpet.

 

“Shadow, don’t be so stingy.” Rouge purrs. “You can tell me anything, remember? Here,” She scoots over slightly in their chaise lounge chair, patting the empty space. “Come on. Sit down, have a little chardonnay. Take a load off and _unwind_ for once.”

 

Even though his brain is telling him to decline her offer and skulk into his room for the night, there’s a creeping feeling in his gut that doesn’t let him. He glances at the dark green bottle on the side table and Rouge’s slightly flushed, but warm expression.

 

Who was he kidding?

 

Shadow turns toward the cabinet above the sink and removes another wine glass, kicking off his running shoes as he approaches her. He sinks into the cushion and picks up the bottle, pouring himself a glass before taking a small sip.

 

He winces. “Why is it so sweet?”

 

“Beats me if I know.” Rouge replies, downing the rest of hers. “I think it was a gift from a friend. It’s not terrible and it’ll get me buzzed, so I’ll settle for it.”

 

“‘Tolerable’ is a better word.” Shadow takes another sip. “You need to develop better taste in alcohol, Rouge.”

 

“Excuse me!” She shoves his arm. A bit of the wine splashes out of his glass and hits the chair, but neither of them seem to care. “I have _great_ taste in alcohol. There’s no point on wasting fifty rings on a bottle of Royal Emerald when this’ll get the job done for free.”

 

Shadow scoffs. “Tell that to the eighteen-year-old Rouge that used to steal bottom shelf beer from Metro Liquors.”

 

“We were in _high school,_ Shadow. I’d only ever had what my older friends could buy for me. Forgive me for not having the most refined tastes.”

 

“Hm.” Shadow looks up towards the ceiling, pursing his lips before glancing over at her. “You’re forgiven.”

 

He tries his best to keep a straight face, but he breaks the moment he sees her lips quivering. They’re both trying to intimidate the other with an intense gaze, but instead, they just end up snickering together. It’s rare, but Rouge is the only one who catches the moments Shadow lets his guard down. He chuckles through his nose as she leans against him, her shoulders shaking with laughter. 

 

“Oh, quiet you.” She chides. “If  I remember correctly, you _also_ partook in that ‘bottom shelf beer’ I stole.”

 

Shadow shrugs. “I never claimed that sixteen-year-old me had great taste either.”

 

Rouge shakes her head with a smile, reaching for the bottle again. She up-ends the last bit into her glass and tosses it onto the couch, deciding that she’ll actually put it in the recycle bin tomorrow morning. She leans back onto the arm of the chair, looking curiously over at her friend.

 

“Are you still not in the mood to tell me why Blue felt the need to chase you through Hexaco Park?”

 

Shadow tenses a bit. She’s right; that nothing had escalated too terribly, but he’s still hesitant to give her the satisfaction of hearing further details.

 

“...He was hellbent on having a conversation with me.” He finally says. “And he was driven by something _you_ apparently said to him.” 

 

Rouge’s expression looks as if it’s taking longer than usual for her mildly intoxicated brain to remember what he’s referring to. It clicks like a light bulb the moment it comes back, and she nods.

 

“I mentioned to him that you’re not as callous as you seem.” She pokes his arm, earning a flinch in response. “That underneath that rough exterior, there’s a decent Mobian deep down.”

 

“Hm.” Shadow swirls the wine around in his glass. “I’m flattered that you think so highly of me; even in my absence.”

 

“I’m just being honest, Shadow dearest.” Rouge’s face softens. “After all, you and I weren’t always as close as we are. I even remember being in Sonic’s place at one point.”

 

He exhales through his nose. “I also remember that.”

 

“Mhmm.” She nods, gently nudging him. “But I stuck around because I saw through all that angst you built up around yourself.” She says. “If anything, I’d say Blue might see through it too.”

 

Shadow takes a moment to absorb her opinion. She might be right, but he’s not sure he’s ready to believe it just yet. He shifts against the cushion, setting the glass down before rising to his feet.

 

“Optimistic of you.” He takes it upon himself to take Rouge’s empty glass too, placing them both in the sink alongside a few other unwashed spoons and plates. He picks up his sneakers from where they’d flown across the living room and tosses the Chardonnay bottle into the trash, glancing at her one last time. “We do have work in the morning, so I suggest you retire for the night before Vector actually decides to write you up for your tardiness.”

 

She scoffs. “He’d never find the balls.”

 

Shadow chooses not to pressure her. She’s an adult and knows her limits. If that meant going to bed three hours before she had to be somewhere in the morning, then that was her decision. He gives a small nod and continues down the hall, uttering a low “Good night.” before closing the door behind him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter one, but an update nonetheless. See you guys next monday (if not sooner)!


	4. A Four Door Chariot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say here but there is some drug mention in this chapter. Other than that, enjoy!

For once, Shadow’s not tired when he wakes up for the day.

 

There’s no daylight. He clearly hears the patter of rain against his window and pulls himself out of bed, sleepily walking over to pull at the shades. The sky is painted a dark teal with bursts of navy among the clouds; he sees more menacing ones rolling over the horizon, and he decides it’d be better to get a jump on the shower before it turns into a torrential downpour. He might as well; leaving a little early for work wouldn’t hurt, especially if it meant he’d be able to get a jump start on any meaningless paperwork that Vector wanted to shove on him.

 

Shadow stretches as he strolls across the carpet, hearing the familiar crack of his shoulders as he turns on the bathroom light. He doesn’t shower for long; typically he uses it as a final push to be alert, but waking up without sleep clawing at his eyelids has already proven effective for that.

 

He buttons up his shirt as he walks out of his room, eyeing Rouge’s still closed door despite them both having work in an hour. It’s not his business, he decides. It’s not up to him whether Vector will actually write her up for once. He wastes no time chugging a cup of black coffee and snagging one of the snack bars Rouge always bought on her grocery trips. He’s not too keen on the overwhelming oaty-flavor of them, but it’s better than the slop they keep in the agency breakroom.

 

Soon Shadow’s watching the flickering light above the elevator change with each passing floor, exhaling as it finally reaches the lobby. He gives today’s desk attendant a half-assed wave and hurries into the parking garage, shoving himself in his car with little hesitation.

 

It’s pouring by this point; he has to flick on his wipers the moment he turns onto the main road and groans when thinks about the accidents that have already surely occurred along his route. Nevertheless, he leans back against his seat, trying to maintain the rare amount of bliss he has for it being so early in the morning.

 

His sedan rolls to a stop a few yards down the road. This particular light was long and annoying, but necessary to get to work on time. Shadow taps his fingers on the steering wheel, glancing around the surrounding street and looking for something to focus on for the next minute and a half.

 

His eyes stop on one particular corner. His vision isn’t _impeccable_ , but refuses to admit that he needs glasses. He’s certain that the person he sees standing on the corner of Melbourne and third street is the same blue hedgehog that lives above him.

 

Sonic’s got no umbrella, to start. His back is pressed up against the brick behind him and he’s desperately trying to shield himself from the rain with the small amount of ledge above him. He looks both annoyed and frustrated; his clothes are dark with rainwater and drooping off his body. On top of all that, it’s rather chilly today. They’re drifting into mid-September and Soumerca wasn’t exactly known for its gradual shift in seasons. The poor kid has to be cold, and Shadow sighs as he realizes that.

 

A loud honk sounds from behind his car and he jolts a bit. He’d been so focused on Sonic that he’d completely disregarded the stoplight changing from red to green. He drifts past the bus stop Sonic’s at and snaps his eyes back to the road when he finally passes.

 

Shadow drives about three blocks before the rain picks up even more. It thuds against the roof of his car like hail and turns his silent trip into an agonizing drum session in his ears. He groans and rubs his face, already feeling a migraine blossoming in the front of his skull.

 

It isn’t until he reaches the next light that Sonic runs through his mind again. His blinks as he watches the water pool on his windshield. even with his wipers on full blast, it's still nearly impossible to see. He glances in his rearview. He’s about a mile away at this point, but he can’t shake the nagging feeling in his chest to turn around.

 

No, no he’s not going to do that. Shadow left with the intention of being early and doesn’t plan on jeopardizing that.

 

But then a particularly loud burst of rain claps against the exterior of his car and he winces. Shadow had never seen Sonic take the bus before, or maybe he’d just never paid attention. Either way, he was working under the false assumption that Sonic could drive which looking back on it, clearly wasn’t the case. He’d definitely seen him pile into the echidna’s truck in passing, but never on his own vehicle.

 

Knuckles must’ve been busy that morning.

 

Shadow makes the drop ditch decision to hook a right after the light changes to green, and then another right at the next stop sign. He grumbles to himself as he approaches the street he knows he’d seen Sonic on. He turns onto it with enough swiftness that it spooks a few wary pedestrians, not at all concerning him. It’s not long before he sees that same, damp red jacket and soaked blue quills, pressed up against a building for dear life.

 

His car rolls to a stop a few feet in front of the bus stop sign and he glances out of the window. It’s heavily tinted, and he knows that Sonic definitely can’t see through it. Shadow’s fingers hover above the power switch before he finally decides to press it, lowering the glass enough for Sonic to clearly spot his face.

 

He seems so caught up in the rain that he barely notices Shadow staring directly at him. It’s only until glances back up at the bus stop sign that he sees those black and red quills in the distance. Sonic seems confused at first, he squints to make sure he’s seeing what he _thinks_ he’s seeing and isn’t anymore sure when he’s confirmed that yes, that is Shadow staring back at him. The only thing Sonic can think to do is point a finger at himself, mouthing the word “me” with an unsure expression. Shadow nods, his face clearly growing less patient by the second.

 

Although hesitant, Sonic glances up at the sky above before biting the bullet and dashing out into the rain, backpack above his head. He leans down in front of Shadow’s window and tries his best not to direct any water into his clearly expensive car.

 

“H-hey, Shadow!”

 

He doesn’t say anything. Sonic hears the audible click of the doors unlocking and his eyes widen when Shadow gestures dismissively.

 

“Just get in the damn car, Hedgehog.”

 

Sonic leaps in like his life depends on it, shaking off any excess water before closing the passenger door behind him. Shadow lets him settle into the seat before finally posing the question that’s been tearing at his mind for the past twenty minutes.

 

“Please,” He starts. “Explain to me why you thought that leaving your apartment this morning with no umbrella was a good idea.”

 

Sonic clicks his seatbelt into place before Shadow pulls off from the curb, smiling nervously as he sits back into the seat.

 

“I didn’t know it was raining?” His response sounds more like a question than a statement, and the way Shadow side-eyes him lets him know that that answer isn’t good enough. “I was in a rush, okay? Knuckles usually drives me to campus, but I forgot that he starts work today.”

 

“Mhmm,” Shadow hums lowly. “You can’t drive?”

 

Sonic shrinks away. He looks forward shakes his head, letting out a heavy sigh. “I can, but it’s complicated.”

 

“‘Complicated’ as in...”

 

“I can’t pass my driver’s test.” Sonic replies. “I’m always fine until that test coordinator sits in the passenger’s seat. I don’t know what happens but I just...freeze up. I’ve taken it like, four times.”

 

The judgemental look Shadow gives him says enough. Sonic rolls his eyes and leans onto his elbow, huffing as he turns his head back towards the windshield. He grumbles something unintelligible that Shadow can only assume is a remark he’s too scared to speak out loud. Nothing phases him, however. He simply looks back towards the road and bears right onto the upcoming freeway entrance.

 

A tense quiet settles into the vehicle and Sonics eyes beg to find purchase on anything that’s not Shadow’s face. He’s just so _bored._ He thrives off interaction like a plant to water and the silence is beginning to way down on him like an anvil. He fiddles with his wristwatch, his jacket cuff, and even his shoelaces before he decides he mentally can’t take it anymore.

 

Sonic turns to look at Shadow’s focused face and pouts as he racks his brain for a conversation starter.

 

“Do you...” He swallows. “So you know how to get to GMU? Cause I can definitely guide you—“

 

“I’ve lived here longer than you have, Hedgehog.” Shadow interrupts. “If I needed your help, I would’ve asked for it by now.”

 

“....Uh-huh.” Sonic bites his lip. So much for that. He pauses for a few minutes before his eyes wander over to the dash panel. He almost feels stupid for not realizing it earlier, but now he knows why it feels so eerily quiet.

 

“Do you always just ride around in silence like this?” Sonic glances over at Shadow. “With the radio off?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“....Why?” He asks. “Doesn’t it get a little...y’know. _Too_ quiet?”

 

Shadow looks over his shoulder before switching lanes. “I prefer the silence over the mind-numbing pop music that constantly spews out of it.” He says. “The last thing I need is something actively fueling my migraines.”

 

“Well, you don’t have to listen to pop y’know.” Sonic points to the radio. “These little buttons here can change the station to something else—“

 

“Don’t patronize me.” Shadow cuts him off. “I’m not an imbecile. I’m fully aware of how a car stereo works, Sonic.”

 

He perks up at that. He makes a mental note that Shadow referring to him as anything other than “Hedgehog” was probably a good sign. Regardless, Sonic presses on.

 

“So what types of music do you like?” He asks, looking down at his phone. “I’m sure I’ve got something in my playlists you’d be into.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Does this car even have an AUX cord? Oh, wait. I see it.” Without asking, he yanks at a stray cord hanging out of the dash panel and plugs it into his phone, grinning when he hears the stereo beep in response.

 

If he weren’t barreling down the highway at seventy miles an hour, Shadow would be more inclined to reclaim control over his radio. He almost warns Sonic to stop overstepping his boundaries before the hedgehog puts on a quieter song. All he can hear is the soft lull of a saxophone over a downtempo beat floating through the car, and surprisingly, Shadow’s not immediately put off by it. He’ll admit, it’s miles better than the top hits station that his radio normally defaults to, so he makes the reluctant choice to let it go.

 

“There,” Sonic sits back, glancing over at him. “Isn’t that better?”

 

Rather than respond, Shadow lets out a low grunt in response. However, Sonic’s admittedly gotten used to his defensive body language by this point and takes it as a “yes” regardless.

 

“So.”

 

Shadow closes his eyes for as long as he safely can while driving. Did this kid ever shut up?

 

“Were you on your way to work?” Sonic watches as he nods, and continues. “Well, thanks for picking me up. I hope I don’t make you late or anything, but I  really do appreciate not having to wait out in all this rain.”

 

“I’m far from being late, but thank you for the concern,” Shadow replies, not taking his eyes off the road.

 

Sonic shifts in his seat. “I think Rouge mentioned to us once that you work for the government?” He asks. “That’s pretty awesome. Is it like, the FBI or CIA or something like that?”

 

“Something along those lines.”

 

“Mhmm.” Sonic strokes his chin. “So are you like, a detective or something? Or is it a Men In Black type of deal?”

 

Shadow narrows his eyes and finally glances a little over his shoulder, looking him up and down before replying. “I’m going to assume that you have some understanding as to why I can’t just disclose my occupation to you.” 

 

Sonic shrugs and chuckles. “Not really. I’m just a twenty-one-year-old college student. It’s not like I’m a threat to national security or anything.” He says. “I mean, it looks like it’s something important since you’re dressed up all nice.”

 

“‘Important’ is an understatement.”

 

“M’kay, that’s a step closer.” Sonic nods as if he’s made some huge discovery. “Lemme see...nice car, nice suit, _extremely_ nice apartment...obviously it pays pretty well.”

 

“Excuse me?” Shadow questions incredulously. “This isn’t a guessing game, Hedgehog.”

 

“Well then make it easy for me, _Shadow_.” Sonic smirks as he looks over. “What do you do? You don’t need to go into a bunch of detail.”

 

Shadow comes to the conclusion that he isn’t going to get out of this conversation easily, especially knowing they’ve still got a few exits before they arrive at the university. With a frustrated sigh, he runs a hand down his face.

 

“I do a good deal of abroad undercover work, but my primary focus is data collection and analysis.” He’s already growing irritable with how excited Sonic looks. “Does that answer your question?”

 

Sonic nods enthusiastically, leaning a bit closer. “That sounds _insane_.” He says. “‘Abroad’? That means you like, travel to different countries and stuff, right?”

 

“That is what abroad means.”

 

Sonic looks starstruck. He’s got wide, inquisitive eyes and a smile that Shadow tries his best to ignore.

 

“Does this mean that you’re like, basically an international spy?”

 

Shadow scoffs. “That’s one way of putting it.”

 

“ _Wow._ ” Sonic sits back in his seat, absorbing everything he’s just learned. “That is _so_ cool! Your life is probably amazing. I’ve never even left the northern coast, let alone the country.”

 

“It sounds like you’ve lived a fairly sheltered life.”

 

Sonic frowns and shrugs as he starts fiddling with his zipper again. “I mean, I guess.” He replies. “My parents were always working. I guess they never really set aside time for vacations and stuff.”

 

“Mm.” Shadow hums. “Unfortunate.”

 

Sonic’s brain stops churning out questions. His eyes drift to the steering wheel once he hears the quiet drum of Shadow’s fingers against the vinyl. It’s barely noticeable, but Sonic smiles ear to ear when he sees him gently nodding along to the beat of the song that’s come on.

 

“I told you I’d have something you’d like.” He gives a cocky grin that snaps Shadow out of his trance. “She’s a really great artist. You should check out her music sometime.”

 

“I don’t think--”

 

“Here, I’ll make it easy for you.” Before Shadow can protest, Sonic’s digging through his backpack for what seems like hours. He pulls out a graphite-covered pen and a banged up pad of sticky-notes, flipping it open to a random page as he scribbles in what looks like chicken scratch. He tears off the post-it and sticks it square on his dashboard. “There. Now you won’t forget.”

 

Shadow’s seriously beginning to regret turning around. He hopes that in this last stretch of highway before their exit, Sonic takes a hint to just _be quiet_ for once. To his surprise, he does. The blue hedgehog turns up the radio a bit and settles back into his seat, returning to his phone as he mindlessly begins scrolling through it. Shadow focuses on the road, glancing in his right mirror before merging off the freeway.

 

Sonic’s eyes stay pinned to his phone; he swipes down when realizes he’s missed a few texts this morning.

 

**_Knuckles: How much should I bring to the party?_ **

****

He squints, and replies.

 

**_Sonic: How much what?_ **

****

**_Knuckles: (is typing)_ **

****

**_Knuckles: What the hell do you think? Weed, dumbass._ **

****

He blinks.

**_Sonic: Right. We did talk about that._ **

****

**_Knuckles: ???. Well?_ **

****

Sonic side eyes Shadow, glancing down at the badge hanging off his belt loop. He bites his lip and types back.

 

**_Sonic: Not a lot. We live above government agents, remember?_ **

****

**_Knuckles: They’re not cops, Sonic._ **

****

**_Sonic: Well maybe I’d rather just be safe than sorry!_ **

_“Sonic.”_

 

The blue hedgehog nearly jumps out of his skin when Shadow’s voice startles him back to reality. His head whips up from his phone and over to Shadow, whose fingers are impatiently tapping the steering wheel.

 

“H-huh?”

 

“I asked you where you need to be dropped off.”

 

He feels like an idiot for not realizing they’re on campus already. He should’ve been able to tell by the maroon and yellow flags hanging everywhere. Sonic’s eyes search around the surrounding area until he spots what he’s looking for. He leans forward against the seat belt and points to Shadow’s left.

 

“You see that big grey building? With all the windows and stuff? Over there is fine.”

 

Shadow turns his attention back to the road and follows his direction. Sonic tightens his lips, silently gathering his belongings as he can tell Shadow’s probably had enough of him for the day. His car rolls to a stop a few feet in front of a crosswalk and Shadow places it in park, leaning onto his elbow and rubbing his temple.

 

Sonic tries his best not to slam the door when he gets out.  The rain has let up significantly by this point, so he doesn’t feel the need to haul ass like he did before. He hikes his backpack up onto his shoulder and crouches in front of Shadow’s window, waving and mouthing the words ‘thank you’ through the glass. He half-expects him to roll it down, but he’s not surprised when Shadow throws his car back into drive instead. The striped hedgehog gives him one last look as he waves dismissively, pulling back onto the main road without a second thought.

 

Sonic watches for a few seconds as he drives away before he decides he’s getting too wet and heads for the building behind him. He looks down at his phone and sets a goal for himself to at the very least, get Shadow’s phone number the next time he sees him.

 

As difficult as it probably was going to be.

 

* * *

 

“Well how was work, you handsome devil you?” 

 

Knuckles looks up from the tray of food in beneath him the moment he hears Sonic’s lofty voice. He’s not the only one who notices, either. Blaze and Silver glance away from their side conversation with one another and Amy stops picking at her salad. Approaching their usual table are him and Tails, the fox trailing behind with his usual plate of pizza and fries. Sonic nudges Amy over on the bench despite her protests. The two slide in beside her and waste no time shoveling their food into their faces.

 

“You think you’re funny, huh?” Knuckles replies, wiping off his gloves with a stray napkin.

 

“Yes, I do. But that’s not the point.” Sonic takes a long swig of his soda. “I’m being serious, Knux! I didn’t catch you on my way out this morning. How was it? Any crazy customers? Any first day drama?” He gestures openly. “Please, share with the class.”

 

“The class _would_ like to know.” Amy says favorably, pouting when Knuckles shoots her a glare. “What? You’re don’t look like you’re in the best mood so obviously, it wasn’t stellar. Why don’t you get it off your chest?”

 

The echidna frowns. “Only you two would see that I’m not in the mood to talk and take that as a challenge.”

 

“You’re correct.” Sonic places a hand over Knuckles’. “We can talk now, or I can pester you about it when we get home later. Your choice.”

 

He hesitates, but eventually exhales. “It was fine. I fucked up a drink or two and some koala bitch yelled at me for it, but I made it through without losing my cool.”

 

“I certainly hope so.” Blaze puts in, earning a scowl from Knuckles. “Forgive me, but it was your first day, correct? I’d hope you’d care about making a good first impression.”

 

“They’re paying me, so I have to care.” He replies. “I won’t lie and say I wasn’t tempted to throw her stupid drink in her face, though.”

 

“Well, look on the bright side.” Tails suggests. “You’re working in the lobby of your building. That’s a pretty convenient set up if you ask me.”

 

“Tails is right.” Sonic agrees. “And it gives me the perfect chance to come and annoy you at work.” He takes a hold of the end of Amy’s scarf and tosses around his shoulder, hiking his voice up a few octaves. “‘ _Can I get a low-fat iced whipped mocha latte with coconut milk? No sugar, no espresso, thanks.’”_

While the rest of the table snickers, Amy snatches her scarf back, accidentally taking Sonic’s neck along for the ride.

 

“Chaos--” He chokes a bit. “Take it easy Ames.”

 

“Don’t touch my clothes with your greasy fingers and I’ll think about it.” She snaps. “This wasn’t cheap, you know.”

 

“I do know. Every time you wear it you refuse to let us forget.”

 

“Then act like it, Sonic.” She says pointedly. “ _Anyways_. How’s everyone’s classes going so far? Mine are _incredible_ , to say the least.”

 

“I’m swamped.” Sonic groans and leans onto his elbow. “If I’m not in class, I’m at practice. If I’m not at practice, I’m studying. It sucks ass.”

 

“Surely you have some free time, right?” Blaze questions.

 

“If you count the few hours I’m awake after getting home from campus at night.” He replies. “Then sure. I’ve got plenty of free time. Buckets of it.”

 

“Mhmm.” She purses her lips as she nods. “Strange. I believe I’m taking both more credits and more extracurriculars than you, and I don’t share your exhaustion. Maybe you just need better time management skills.”

 

Tails snorts and Sonic glares at him, only to have him shrug in response. “It’s true. We’ve all said it before. I honestly don’t know how you function without any type of planner.”

 

“I don’t _need_ a planner. I need less crap bogging down my schedule.” Sonic whines. “Maybe I could get up an hour earlier each day.”

 

“That’s not gonna happen.” Knuckles ignores the look Sonic gives him. “Don’t lie to yourself. You’re not a morning person and you know it.”

 

“Well, maybe I could go to bed a little later then.”

 

“I don’t think that’s a great idea.” Silver interjects, looking across all their faces. “Do you really wanna screw up your sleep schedule even more? Didn’t you say you go to bed around two?”

 

“On some nights, yeah. But—“

 

“ _Two in the morning?”_ Amy asks, wide eyed. “What could you possibly be doing until two in the morning?”

 

“I’ll give you a hint,” Knuckles says around a bite of food. “It’s three syllables and rhymes with the word  ‘lacerate’.”

 

“Knuckles! Shut up!” Sonic glowers over at him while the others cackle like middle schoolers. “I get caught up playing video games, asshole.”

 

“You didn’t deny it, though.”

 

“I don’t need to deny it!”

 

“Alright this is stupid.” Amy cuts them both off. “Can you two stop being twelve years old for two seconds and _actually_ have an adult conversation for once?”

 

Tails chuckles. “I think that’s a tall order.”

 

“Can it, half pint.” Knuckles snaps. “Since you obviously wanna share so badly, go ahead. How’s your semester going, huh Amy?”

 

A wide smile spreads across her face as she leans onto her elbows. “I’m _so_ glad you asked. It’s going absolutely _marvelous.”_ She says. “I’m finally taking some interior design classes and I love my Color Theory professor. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and he’s got the warmest smile I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t have asked for a better set up.” Amy frowns at the collective eye roll she gets from the table. “What? Don’t look at me like that!”

 

“Let me guess,” Sonic says knowingly. “You think he’s ‘the one’, right?”

 

Amy huffs. “I never said that.”

 

“You don’t have to, it’s written all over your face.” Knuckles replies. “Are we wrong?” 

 

She blows a stray quill out of her eyes and folds her arms across her chest. “So what if I do? He’s a young guy! It could happen!”

 

He shakes his head. “You really need to pull your head out of the clouds.”

 

“You all are no fun.” Amy pouts. “A girl can’t dream of something bigger? A happy life with a dashing young professional?”

 

“If I remember correctly, you had that same exact ‘dream’ with Sonic a few years ago.” Knuckles quips. “And we all remember how that went.”

 

The table goes silent. Sonic and Tails immediately feel a spike in tension when they see the can of worms Knuckles’ just opened. Before either of them can get a word in, Amy snaps.

 

“First of all, I was fourteen with a crush.” She starts, staring Knuckles dead in the eye. “Quit saying it like this all happened yesterday.”

 

He scoffs. “I think that practically stalking someone is more than a crush.”

 

“I was an obsessive teenager! So what! Are we all gonna pretend like you didn’t do the same with Julie-Su?”

 

“Hey, _watch it_.”

 

“You watch it!”

 

“Guys!” Sonic jumps in the moment he feels things escalating too quickly. “Chill out! Let’s not argue over things that happened in high school, alright? Everyone’s over it.”

 

“Over what, exactly?”

 

The table looks towards Blaze when they hear her curious voice. She appears completely unbothered by the heightened stress of the table and sips at her water as if nothing’s out of the ordinary. It takes them a few seconds, but they realize that both Blaze and Silver aren’t in the loop. They’d met the two last year via mutual friends, meanwhile this entire situation had transpired over five years ago.

 

“To make a long story short, Amy and Sonic dated while we were in high school.” Tails decides to put an end to the awkward silence. “Not for a long time but...it definitely was a thing that happened.”

 

“Mm. I see.” Blaze nods solemnly. “I’m guessing that the primary reason that relationship ended was because of Sonic’s sexuality?”

 

Sonic nearly chokes on his soda. Amy’s quills stand on end and she goes bright red, looking away in a huff while neither of them answer. Tails shares a glance with Knuckles before looking back at Blaze, nodding lightly.

 

“More or less, yeah.”

 

“Okay, no. It wasn’t just that.” Sonic interjects. “Even though that definitely was a contributing factor, we were better off just being friends.” 

 

“That’s understandable. You both seem to have a good relationship now anyway. I’d say it was for the best.” Blaze affirms.

 

“I think we all could agree on that.” Amy says firmly, throwing her scarf back over her shoulder. “Anyways. Before I forget,” She faces Sonic and Knuckles. “One of you needs to send me what you need for the party before I decide not to be so generous.”

 

“Right, right,” Sonic looks down at the table. “Actually...if I’m being honest, I’m not so sure about it anymore.”

 

“What? Are you kidding me?” Knuckles asks incredulously. “Why? We’ve been planning this thing for weeks.”

 

“I know, I know. But...” He hesitates. “I’m worried about Shadow paying an unannounced visit.”

 

The echidna groans loudly and rolls his eyes. He leans in closer towards the group and focuses on Sonic especially. “You can’t be serious. Fuck him!”

 

“He intimidates me, Knux! I don’t know what to tell you!” The hedgehog admits. “What if he complains or something? Or calls the cops? We moved in a little over a month ago! We’d be _screwed.”_

 

“First off, Shadow seems like a hands on type of guy. I doubt he’d go out of his way to get the police involved.” Knuckles starts. “Second of all, who the hell cares?! We live here too. We pay rent and our names are on that damn lease.” He leans back against his chair. “Seems like he’s gonna be pissy no matter what we do, so why not just do whatever the hell we want?”

 

“I mean...”

 

“Knuckles has a point.” Tails says. “If it’s not gonna make a difference, then why bother worrying about it? Just try not to be too loud, I guess.”

 

“This guy sounds like he could use a drink or two.” Silver adds in, gathering the remnants from his lunch. “Maybe you should invite him just so he can take a load off or something.”

 

Sonic knows he’s joking, but he can’t shake the sinking feeling it gives him in his stomach. The idea Shadow even remotely having a good time is hard for him to even think about, let alone seek out.

 

“I doubt he’d want to, Silv.”

 

“Just an idea.” He replies. “You guys’ve got me all curious now. I almost wanna meet this ‘mysterious’ Shadow the Hedgehog.”

 

“Hopefully you won’t have to.” Knuckles says, glancing down at the time. He starts collecting the napkins he’s used and piles them onto his plate. He slings his backpack around his shoulder before scooting out from underneath the table, stretching as he stands. “I gotta get to class. Amy, I’ll text you the stuff we need tonight.”

 

“Thank you kindly.” She replies nonchalantly, not looking up from her bowl. “Have fun with Professor Robotnik.”

 

“Chaos, don’t remind me.” He picks up his plate. “I’ll see you guys later.”

 

The group says their goodbyes and fully disbands after about another ten minutes. Amy and Blaze steal away to their Chemistry lab together while Silver admits he wants to squeeze in a nap before his evening lecture. Bereft of having anything else to do, Sonic follows Tails on his trek over to the library. It’s halfway across campus and it’s still wet outside, but it’s better than waiting around for Knuckles to get out of his last class.

 

 They go on about unrelated things, Tails chats him up about his embark on building a new computer rig for his dorm and Sonic nods and listens as if he has any idea what all the technical jargon means. At the back of his mind, however, he still feels the idea of actually inviting Shadow to their party clawing its way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Catch you all next update!


	5. Of Sweat and Smoke

Sonic needs to clean his running shoes.

 

It’s the first thing he notices when he finishes fastening the left buckle. A black smudge of dirt stretches across the entire right side of his shoe and he can only guess that it happened when he’d decided to run laps on the school’s football field rather than the track. He frowns, but decides that it’s something that can wait. He’s not about to run all the way back upstairs to his apartment to get a toothbrush when he’s not even running outside today.

 

It’s been raining on and off for the past week. Sonic’s not sure whether Chaos just has something against him practicing outside or if the Northern Coast is just entering its rainy season. Either way, he makes the begrudging decision to practice inside tonight.

 

The complex has an incredible gym. It’s one of the major draws for Knuckles and something his parents pushed Sonic to appreciate as well. Despite all the shiny new chrome equipment and fancy looking decor, he still prefers the outdoors. Hexaco Park was incredible; aside from the time he’d gotten sidetracked with Shadow, every run through the park since had been breathtaking. He loved the shade of the oak trees that lined the walkways, the cool mist from the fountains peppered across the park, the evening wind against his fur.

 

All of which are currently being stifled by the torrential downpour tearing through the Grand Metropolis.

 

Sonic sucks it up. He decides that he hates water more than he hates treadmills and a few nights inside won’t kill him.

 

He lets his foot fall off the bench as he reaches for his water bottle, throwing back a long swallow before replacing the cap. His eyes travel to the slightly ajar locker that houses his belongings, and he makes a mental note that he needs to buy a lock for it soon. Not that theft would ever really be a problem in a complex like this, however.

 

Just as Sonic reaches for his phone to choose a fitting workout song, the approaching sound of sneakers against tile catches his attention.

 

At first he thinks it’s one of the front desk attendants. He’s seen the coyote in here before and usually, she’s the only one who goes as late as he does. Sonic’s fully prepared to engage in a completely pointless conversation with her until he realizes that those aren’t her signature pink trainers stepping into the locker room. He doesn’t immediately smell her citrusy body spray or see her ridiculously bright yellow tracksuit as the figure comes into view.

 

Sonic admits that he’s shocked to see Shadow here so late; it’s past midnight, after all. The first thing he notices is that he’s _incredibly_ sweaty. Shadow’s drenched as if he’s just come in from outside in the rain and Sonic’s sure that whatever he’d done in the workout room was as physically taxing as pulling an eighteen wheeler.

 

The second thing he notices is that this is the first time he’s ever seen Shadow wear anything other than black or red. It’s jarring at first, like seeing a superhero out of costume or something of the like. He’s got on a dull yellow t-shirt that’s not obnoxious by any means, but still a strange change of pace.

 

The third thing he notices is that Shadow _sure_ does look good in grey sweatpants.

 

Sonic shoves the last observation back down into the depths of his mind. He’s not about to do this right now. He already deeply regrets admitting to his friends that he thinks Shadow is attractive, and he’s not about to give them the satisfaction of knowing that the feeling is still valid.

 

Shadow walks into the locker room with no falter whatsoever. His eyes are pinned to his phone as he strides over to his locker, fumbling with the dial for a few seconds before it pops open. Sonic can’t quite make out what he’s doing with his back turned to him and he almost looks away. However, the moment Shadow reaches for the hem of his t-shirt his eyes dart back over with the speed of a cheetah.   


He knows he shouldn’t stare, but it’s nearly impossible not to.

 

Shadow tosses his yellow top onto the bench beside him as he continues digging around in his locker. Sonic purses lips so tight it’s slightly painful and hopes to Chaos that his neighbor can’t feel his eyes on him. Did government employees need to be in good shape? Or was that just the military? He did work undercover, so maybe that had something to do with it. That position probably required people to be quick on their toes, so Sonic thinks it makes sense.

 

Ten million thoughts run through his mind as his eyes are locked on Shadow’s bare back, the definition in his shoulders, his _biceps..._

“Can I help you with something, Hedgehog?”

 

Sonic nearly falls off the bench, he’s so floored. He gathers his composure and fumbles with his water bottle, trying to play off how embarrassed he is.

 

“No! I mean--nah.” He replies. “I’m totally good. Great actually. One hundred percent A-okay.”

 

Shadow still doesn’t look at him. He does turn his head slightly, but lets out a low grunt rather than say anything.

 

Sonic’s heart rate plummets back to a normal level. Chaos. With senses like those, Shadow was clearly in the right occupation. Sonic watches out of the corner of his eye and tries best to look occupied. He taps aimlessly at his phone and scrolls through some recent group messages while occasionally cutting a glance back up at Shadow. Apparently, Knuckles and Amy were still bickering about what alcohol to bring to the party and Sonic immediately remembers what Silver said last week.

 

It was a stupid idea, Sonic doesn’t know why he’s still considering telling Shadow. They may have been on slightly better terms now, which in retrospect still weren’t great, but he doesn’t doubt that even mentioning the word “party” would have the building security guard knocking at their door ten minutes before it even started.

 

It would be fun to see Shadow absolutely plastered though, he admits that to himself.

 

“Are you going to keep gawking from across the room, or are you actually going to say something?”

 

Sonic jolts and drops his phone. It clatters to the tile face down and he prays to Chaos that it isn’t cracked. As he scrambles to pick it up, Shadow finally turns to face him and he feels his breath hitch in his chest.

 

Sonic’s mouth opens, but no words come out. He ends up opening and closing his jaw like a fish out of water while Shadow narrows his eyes with the most confused look he’s ever seen. He knows his muzzle has to be burning red by this point. His face feels hot and staring directly at Shadow’s torso definitely isn’t making it better. But good _lord._ Unlike him, Shadow must’ve had other physical hobbies besides running, because his upper body is nowhere near as cut as Shadow’s is.

 

“Um.” Is the only word Sonic can form at first. He clears his throat and stands up from the bench, brushing off some invisible dirt from his shorts. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to stare.”

 

“Mhm,” Shadow says lowly. “You’re not very inconspicuous about it.”

 

“I....I’m not what?”

 

“Nothing. Forget it.”

 

Sonic pouts. “Well. Sorry again.” He says. “It’s just weird seeing you like this, is all.”

 

He mentally kicks himself. Why the hell did he say that?

 

Shadow tilts his head, eyes still narrowed. “Like what, exactly?”

 

“Like...uh...”

 

_Shirtless._

“All sweaty.”

 

Sonic has to force himself not to roll his eyes at his own response, because Chaos. Sweaty? That’s really the best thing he could come up with?

 

He can’t tell what Shadow’s thinking based on his facial expressions. He definitely doesn’t look mad, but not exactly pleased either. Sonic’s about to make up an excuse to try and weasel his way out of the room before Shadow finally gives a dry reply.

 

“That is what happens when you exercise.”

 

A joke. Sonic can’t quite tell because of the monotonous tone of his voice, but he thinks Shadow’s making a joke. His body untenses and he lets out a strained laugh, running a hand up through his quills.

 

“Yeah, you’re not wrong,” Sonic says back. “I used to get _super_ sweaty when I first started training. I’d look like I just showered fully clothed or something, it was so bad.”

 

He’s oversharing. It’s a nervous tick, but he can’t stop when he starts. That, and touching his quills. Sometimes he wishes he could just superglue his arms to his body so they stay _put_ for once. Shadow’s face is still adorned with that same questioning look before he decides to be blunt.

 

“Why are you so anxious?”

 

Sonic feels his blood run cold. “What do you mean?”

 

“You keep touching yourself.” He replies, looking him up and down. “It’s a tell.”

 

“Huh.” Sonic shrugs and forces his hand to stay put when he gets the urge to touch his face. “Weird. Never noticed.”

 

Shadow still doesn’t look like he believes him fully, but also looks as if he doesn’t quite have the patience to press him any further. He turns back to the bench beside him and stuffs his shirt into his duffle bag, casually shutting his locker as he removes the lock. Sonic feels like a weird bystander, he’s not sure if Shadows going to say anything else, but it feels like a weird place to end a conversation.

 

Shadow slings his bag over his shoulder as he turns to look at him. “Close your mouth. You’ll catch flies.”

 

It takes Sonic touching his face to realize that his jaw is hanging open again. He snaps it shut and laughs skittishly, giving a pained smile. “Thanks. I promise I’m not a creep or anything.”

 

“...You should probably work on that wandering eye, then. If that’s the case.”

 

Sonic croaks out a laugh.  “Blame yourself for being in such good shape.”

 

It’s incredibly subtle, but Shadow’s definitely taken aback by that comment. Sonic feels his heart drop the moment it leaves his mouth, but he’s relieved that Shadow’s immediate reaction isn’t punching him in the throat. He’s definitely taken more of a leap of faith than he feels he should have but Shadow’s measured response feels like more of an accomplishment than a mistake. Rather than replying, his neighbor turns towards the shower entryway and looks over his shoulder.

 

“Thanks.”

 

It’s a single word, but it makes Sonic’s heart rate skyrocket. He watches as Shadow disappears around the corner, only releasing his breath when he’s sure he’s out of earshot. Chaos, if there were any more ways to humiliate himself in a span of ten minutes, Sonic’s not sure he would’ve found them. The only thing keeping him from delving into regret is the new confirmation of his assumption that Shadow definitely isn’t straight. He’s flirted with straight men before and from experience, most times it wouldn’t end so cordially.

 

Wait, _was_ he flirting?

 

Sonic ponders it for a second, but decides he’d rather not get too deep into that debate right now. He instead fishes his headphones out of his shorts pocket and plugs his ears, turning his music up on full blast as he starts towards the workout room.

 

So what if he was flirting?

* * *

 

 

Knuckles just wants his shift to be over.

 

He’s been on his feet for nearly nine hours. The floors are hard and not at all meant to be stood on for extended periods of time. It’s late Thursday night and he wonders why the hell the cafe is open so late anyway. The most foot traffic they got was from white collars grabbing their lattes on their way to work in the morning, so he can’t fathom a reason why anyone would need a coffee this late at night.

 

Knuckles leans his head against the pillar next to him. He’s tired. His eyelids are getting heavy and he can feel his mattress beneath his body already. It’d been a tiresome day. He’d gone straight from his midday lecture, to afternoon traffic, to here, and he’s about one annoying customer away from tearing off his apron and clocking out.

 

He won’t, however. He needs this job and despite the shitty clientele, it pays better than most part-time gigs around the city.

 

Knuckles looks past the wall for a brief moment. His manager is still in her office and he sighs in relief, taking the risk of momentarily closing his eyes.

 

It’s a peaceful two minutes. He actually feels himself drifting off into sleep before the sound of approaching footsteps jolts him awake again.

 

Knuckles hasn’t run into Rouge yet despite the fact that he hears from the staff that she’s a regular. He stiffens at the sight of her leaning against the counter, a sly smirk painted across her cheeks.

 

“Long day?”

 

He’s trapped behind the counter so it’s not as if he can hide anywhere. He looks her up and down, noting her change in attire. Her usual gaudy get up is nowhere to be found. It is after eleven, so Knuckles assumes the crop top and yoga pants are her ideas of pajamas. She’s got on that same shawl she’d been wearing the first day they’d met and it’s a lot more see-through than he remembers.

 

Rouge still has a bit of makeup on; comparatively a lot less than normal, however. It’s the most “natural” he’s ever seen her and he’s surprised how much younger she looks without all the eyeshadow.

 

Knuckles folds his arms across his chest and pushes up off the wall, walking over to the counter. “You could say that.”

 

Rouge chuckles softly. “I can tell. You were having yourself a nice little nap there, weren’t you?”

 

“Yeah, I wish.” He scoffs. “There’s nothing I’d love more right now than to get off my fucking feet.”

 

Rouge looks over around the counter. “You’re the only one here right now?”

 

Knuckles nods. “Besides the manager.”

 

She purses her lips and looks as if she’s pondering something before speaking up again. “Do you smoke, hun?”

 

The question catches him off guard. He immediately tenses and steps back a bit, his eyes squinted in confusion. “...What’s it to you, bat?”

 

“Calm down, I’m not trying to pry or anything.” She diffuses. “I’m inviting you on a smoke break, if you’re willing to partake, that is.”

 

Knuckles relaxes. He doesn’t know why he’d gotten so defensive at first, but there’s something oddly casual about the way she addresses him. It’s shockingly confident and barely remorseful, and the only other person he’s seen act like this before is Sonic when he’s a few beers deep.

 

He looks towards the office door and back at her, scratching the back of his neck. “Gimme a sec.”

 

His manager is noticeably irritated when he knocks on the door but he’s past the point of caring. Knuckles mouths the word “break” through the glass and she squints back at him, gesturing to the desk full of paperwork she has in front of her.  As a last effort, he holds up ten fingers and mouths “I promise”, which seems to sway her enough. She waves him off and turns back to the computer behind her, clearly grumbling something under her breath as she does.

 

Knuckles breathes a sigh of relief and tears off his apron, tossing it on a crate as he circles out to the lobby. Rouge smiles softly when she sees him come into view, placing her hands on her hips as he approaches.

 

She looks up at him for a moment before starting towards the front entrance, glancing back over her shoulder. “Come on now, I’m sure you don’t have that long to slack off.”

 

Knuckles grimaces, but follows suit. The two push through the revolving door and post up a few yards away from the front door just in case someone decides to complain about the smell. Rouge reaches into the pocket of her shawl and fishes out a hot pink lighter and a pack of cigarettes, slipping one out herself before offering one to Knuckles.

 

“I hope you like Junedas.” She lights hers. “I'm not sure if I do, if I’m being honest, I don’t normally smoke.” She says. “I bummed these off Shadow.”

 

Knuckles eyes go wide at that. He leans over to Rouge as she holds up the lighter and takes a drag before exhaling. The smoke swirls up and dissolves into the dim moonlight above them.

 

“You bummed a _whole_ pack off him? Yeesh.” He says. “You guys really must be close.”

 

“‘Bummed’, ‘stole’,” Rouge shrugs. “I’ll pay him back for it. He’ll be fine.”

 

She follows in his action and brings the cigarette to her lips, blowing a plume of white, feathery smoke into the air.

 

Knuckles takes a moment to glance down at her. He’s a bit confused, to say the least. She’s not being overly flirtatious for once and he’s not sure acting hostile would be justified in this situation. He tightens his lips, tossing around a response in his head before speaking up.

 

“I don’t normally smoke either.” He admits. “Cigarettes, that is.”

 

“Oh, I know, hun.” She chuckles at the wide-eyed look he gives her. “What? Did you really think I couldn't smell it from my window, sweetheart? The smoke may rise, but the scent sure doesn’t.”

 

Knuckles almost doesn’t know what to say to that. He looks away bashfully, taking another hit. “Sorry.” He replies. “I thought I was being more careful than that.”

 

“I don’t really mind.” Rouge looks up at him. “If I did, you think I would’ve waited nearly a month and a half to say something about it?”

 

He tightens his lips, nodding in defeat. “You got me there.”

 

“Exactly. So don’t stress about it.” She tells him. “Not to make assumptions but Blue doesn’t really strike me as the type.”

 

“Oh, he is the type. Just not that often.” Knuckles corrects, leaning against the brick behind them. “I, on the other hand, have got a lot more shit to stress about than him.”

 

Rouge tilts her head. “How so?”

 

“A lot of stuff.” He begins. “School, work, money, bills. The works.”

 

“Blue doesn’t work?”

 

He scoffs. “Nope. He’s too focused on track. Besides, his scholarships and parents pay for everything. You know GMU gave him a full damn ride and then some? Shit,” He takes a drag. “I wish that were me.”

 

“I thought that was probably the case,” Rouge says. “These definitely aren’t the cheapest apartments in the world.”

 

“Oh, don’t I fucking know it.” Knuckles replies. “You think I got this job cause I like making frappes for people?”

 

She furrows her brows. “You’re paying for this out of pocket?”

 

Knuckles nearly cackles at that, shaking his head. “Hell no. Are you kidding me?” He asks. “About eighty percent is financial aid. The rest is me.”

 

“Ah,” Rouge nods slowly. “I see.”

 

“Yeah. It’s a bitch but, hey. I signed the damn lease.”

 

“True, true.” She says. “I don’t blame you. Hell, if I could still scamper away and get high as a kite, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Especially with all the bullshit that goes on in my life.”

 

Knuckles gives her a confused look. “What’s stopping you?”

 

“I work for the government, genius.” She answers. “We get drug tested regularly.”

 

He suddenly feels very stupid, but doesn’t let her see that. He nods quickly, looking back towards the quiet night street. “Right. That makes sense.”

 

“Mhmm.”

 

“What’s got you turning to cigarettes, then? If this isn’t really your thing?”

 

Rouge’s eyes fall to the ground. She pulls her hand away from her mouth and leans back against the wall beside him. “You really wanna know?”

 

Knuckles isn’t sure he does, but nods anyway. “You seem a little feistier than normal.”

 

At that, she chuckles. “Fair enough.” She says. “I was informed by my superior today that there’s a good chance I’m being transferred next year.”

 

He raises his brows. “Oh shit. Really?”

 

She nods. “Up to the Central City base.”

 

“‘ _Central City’?”_ Knuckles gives her an incredulous look. “That’s in a whole different country.”

 

“Now you see why I’m stressed.” She says. “It’s not even the distance that bothers me. A flight back to Soumerca every couple of weeks wouldn’t be that much trouble.”

 

“What is it then?”

 

“I’ll give you a hint,” Rouge smirks. “It’s black and red and speaks almost entirely in grunts.”

 

“Shadow?” He asks. “Why the hell are you worried about him? You think he can’t take care of himself?”

 

“I’m not an idiot, Knuckles.” Rouge huffs. “You’re right, he’s a grown man. He’s fully capable of looking after himself.” She says. “I’m just...concerned.”

 

She reaches the end of her cigarette and lets the butt fall to the ground, stamping out the cherry with the heel of her shoe. She brings her hand to her face and rubs her temple.“Despite how composed Shadow may seem, he has a habit of self-sabotaging when he gets too deep in his own head.” She says. “It was terrible when we were younger. Especially after his sister died.”

 

Knuckles pales. He wasn’t expecting that at all and suddenly feels awkward about all the hostility he’s held towards him. He fidgets with his hands, brushing a bit of ash of his glove and taking another puff.

 

“I’m sorry to hear about that.”

 

“It’s alright. It was about six years ago by now.” Rouge goes on. “She was a pretty girl. They were foster siblings when she and Shadow got really close.”

 

“Damn, foster siblings?” Knuckles asks. “Sounds like he’s had a rough life.”

 

“You don’t know the half of it, love.” She chuckles. “The bright side is he’s made vast improvements over the years. He’s actually in a remarkably good place right now.”

 

“And you’re worried you moving out might jeopardize that.”

 

Rouge looks up at him. “Good detective skills. Maybe you’re not all brawns after all.”

 

“Hey--”

 

“I’m just teasing.” She says. “But you’re right. Shadow does a lot better when he’s in good company.”

 

“...Well. You’re not his keeper.” Knuckles lets his cigarette butt fall to the concrete. “And you’re definitely not responsible for his happiness. I know you’re just trying to be a good friend, but you’ve got your own life to live too.”

 

“I know, I know.” Rouge adjusts the belts on her shawl and pushes up off the wall. She turns back towards the building’s entrance and gesture towards the doors. “As much as I’d love to keep chatting with you, I’m almost certain it’s been longer than ten minutes.”

 

Knuckles pats around his pants for his phone and sucks in air through his teeth when he sees the time. It had been about twenty, to be exact.

 

“Shit.” He tucks it back in his pocket. “You’re right. I should probably get back in there before my manager rips me a new one.”

 

Rouge lets out the softest giggle and nudges his hand with hers, looking him kindly in the eyes. “You’re funny when you’re not being all ‘big and bad’, you know that?”

 

He has to look away to make sure she doesn’t see him blush, be he knows she’d probably caught it anyway. “...Thanks.”

 

“Don’t mention it.” She tugs her shawl back onto her shoulders and strides over to the door, giving a small wave as she pushes it open. “Oh, and do me a favor, will you?”

 

“That is?”

 

“Call me some time, handsome.”

 

She holds up a hand and gestures with to his with her gaze. Knuckles doesn’t understand at first, but the moment he feels a crumpled piece of paper tucked inside his glove, he blushes. Before he can even respond, he looks up and she’s gone.

 

The door is still swinging with the ghost of her presence and Knuckles feels as if he’s just been visited by some kind of flirtatious apparition. He fishes the lump out of his glove and unfurls it, blinking at the sight of her number scrawled out next to a heart.

 

He’s not sure what to do, but he doesn’t toss the paper like he thinks he would. Instead, he tucks it back into his glove and starts over towards the door, mentally debating whether or not to take her up on her request.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed this chp, I definitely had fun writing some dedicated knouge for once lol. Expect to see some sprinklings of it in the future, too. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! See yall next update


	6. Peach Vodka and Rum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: Alcohol and mild drug mention/use in this chp 
> 
> Enjoy my dudes.

Shadow’s gone this long without saying anything and he thinks that he might snap at any moment.

 

When he first stepped into his apartment for the evening, he heard a _little_ bit of music through the ceiling. Sometimes he’d hear it during the day and it was never anything too boisterous, so he’d often ignore it or listen to something of his own.

 

He’d tried a few things. After the music increased in volume while he’d been cooking dinner, he’d turned up his headphones. When the sound started to bleed in over his soft rock, he packed up his plate of unfinished chicken and migrated to his bedroom. It seemed pretty concentrated in the living room anyway, so he thought that would help.

 

Little to his surprise, it didn’t. Even over his headphones, Shadow lays in bed with his face in the pillows and still feels the thump of a bass track through the walls. He’s tired, and he knows it’s coming from upstairs. He’s had an incredibly long day at work of routine physical training and all he’d wanted to do was have a somewhat quiet evening. Maybe he’d even finish up the last bit of the book he’d been reading.

 

When he hears a particularly loud thump through the ceiling, he knows that won’t be the case.

 

Shadow turns over onto his back, eyeing the shaking ceiling fan above him. He desperately wants to go up, but he can already hear Rouge’s voice in his head telling him that he’s “overreacting”. Everyone seemed to be on the opposition to him, and he’s tired of it. So what if he likes peace and quiet, was that really such a terrible thing?

 

He turns his head towards the glass of water on his nightstand and grimaces as it vibrates with the beat of the music.

 

Alright, he’s had enough.

 

Shadow rolls out of bed, snatching his phone and shoving it into his back pocket as he storms out into the hall. It’s even worse in the living room now, and he pushes back the bit of doubt he had about actually going upstairs. He throws open the front door with a loud slam and crowds into the elevator, tapping his foot impatiently as he watches the light change from ten to eleven. As he steps off, he can the blue and red light leaking out from underneath the door. The music is unbearable and he’s surprised that no one else has said anything about it by now. Nonetheless, he wastes no time storming up and pounding on it. It’s not as if they’d be able to hear him otherwise.

 

It’s difficult, but Shadow can make out the slightest bit of shuffling and mumbling behind the door. A response is taking a tad bit too long, however, so he takes it upon himself to bang on it one more time. Almost immediately, he sees the doorknob shift and the lock click open.

 

He’s face to face with a yellow fox. Shadow thinks he’s seen him before, maybe in once in passing. His eyes are the faintest shade of red and he’s staring back at him with an almost confused look on his face, and Shadow knows he’s not dealing with a fully coherent person.

 

The fox blinks, and looks him up and down.

 

“...I’m guessing you’re not the pizza guy?”

 

Shadow narrows his eyes and grimaces. “You’d be correct.”

 

He hesitates, clearly searching his brain for an answer. “.....Shadow?”

 

“Yes, I’m Shadow. Now can you please tell me where Sonic is? I need to speak to him.” He lowers his brows. “Now.”

 

The fox looks a bit resistant but turns back towards the hallway regardless. He cups his hands around his mouth and shouts back into the apartment.

 

“SONIC! YOUR NEIGHBOR’S HERE AND HE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!”

 

Shadow’s shocked that he can hear him over the music, but the affirmative yell Sonic gives back pushes all his doubts out the window. Within a few seconds, a familiar blue hedgehog shuffles into the doorway. Shadow can instantly tell that something’s off. Sonic’s got a red plastic cup in one hand and sunglasses on despite it being nighttime. He leans against the doorframe unsteadily and grins as he looks up.

 

“Heyyyy Shadoooow.”

 

He’s tipsy. Shadow doesn’t know why it took him this long to realize it, but Sonic is definitely tipsy. His muzzle is a little flushed and he has a feeling that the shades are doing more than just shielding his eyes from the light.

 

Shadow glowers. Having a coherent conversation with Sonic was already difficult when he was sober, let alone intoxicated. He brings his fingertips to the bridge of his nose and exhales heavily, shaking his head as he speaks.

 

“You need to turn the music down.”

 

Apparently, the fox takes this as his chance to slip back into the apartment and leaves the two on their own. Sonic scoffs and leans further onto the doorframe, placing his free hand on his hip.

 

“Whoops. Were we being too loud?”

 

“Would I be up here otherwise?”

 

Sonic nods. Shadow thinks he’s looking around, but he can’t exactly tell through the shades. “True.” He says. “I bet it sounds really bad all muffled through the floor like that.”

 

Shadow rolls his eyes. He doesn’t have time for this nonsense.

 

“Just turn it down, Sonic.”

 

The moment he turns back towards the elevators, he feels a gloved hand grip onto his arm. Shadow whips his head back around, staring in disbelief as Sonic holds him in place.

 

“Wait!” He says, gently pulling him closer. “You should stay.”

 

Shadow blinks. “ _Excuse me?_ ”

 

“I said, you should _come in._ ” Sonic’s pulling him with a bit more strength than he knew he had. “You look like you could use a drink.”

 

“I’m not interested.” Shadow replies. “Now let go of me.”

 

“Come onnnnn.” He sings. “You’ll have fun! I promise.”

 

“What part of ‘not interested’ are you not understanding, hedgehog? Let go of my damn wrist!”

 

“Listen, _listen,_ ” Sonic’s unreasonably close to him now. He’s looking over his sunglasses and Shadow can make out the same red undertone in his eyes that he’d seen in the fox. “How about this, just stay for an hour.”

 

“I don’t--”

 

“Half an hour!” He barters. “Just _half an hour_. And if you’re really having a _terrible_ time, you can totally leave.”

 

“I have more important things to do than hang out with a bunch of college students.”

 

“Is that really true?” Sonic asks, narrowing his eyes. “Cause from what I can tell, you don’t have many hobbies outside of work.”

 

Shadow looks a bit offended and tugs on his arm. Sonic’s grip stays firm as he continues.

 

“Honestly, Shadow. When’s the last time you just cut loose and had a good time?”

 

It takes him a second to respond because he legitimately doesn’t know. The only time that comes to mind is a Christmas party at work that happened over a year ago, and even then he’d set some limits for himself. Sure, he’d had a few drinks and relaxed with Rouge by the bar, but still, nothing too outlandish had happened.

 

Shadow’s eyes cut towards the ground. “Why does it matter?”

 

“Because! This is the perfect opportunity to have a little fun.” Sonic explains. “Take a load off! Have a drink or two, y’know? _Relax.”_

“...Sonic, I--”

 

“Come on! It’s a really small party. I promise.” He squeezes his arm. “Please?”

 

Shadow doesn’t know what compels him to say yes, but he does. The moment it leaves his lips Sonic nearly jumps for joy and pulls him full force into his apartment. He’s immediately faced with the offensive smell of alcohol and weed as Sonic guides him back through a mess of purple streamers into the expanse of their living room.

 

It’s strange. Structurally, the apartment looks identical to theirs. Sonic’s decor is much brighter than theirs, however. He and Rouge opted for a more muted, minimalist color palette while their living room screams of red and blue. It’s tasteful, though. Shadow doubts that Sonic and Knuckles decorated it all on their own.

 

Sonic steps aside as they reach the main group, and he’s right. It is a small party. Shadow remembers a few house parties he’d been to back in high school and this is nowhere near as chaotic. There had to be no more than fifteen people including Sonic. The moment they realize Sonic’s returned the group looks over at him, curiosity adorning their faces.

 

“Hey guys!” He gestures with his free hand. “This is Shadow, my downstairs neighbor.”

 

Shadow feels like he’s in high school again. The crowd gives each other shady glances and murmurs a bit as they look back at him. The yellow fox is huddled up next to a pink hedgehog on the couch and whispers something indistinct to her.

 

This already felt like a bad idea.

 

The only face Shadow fully recognizes is the echidna. He’s perched next to the window on a lounge chair with a purple cat seated on the arm. He doesn’t look too pleased, either. His eyes cut over to Sonic as they narrow in distrust.

 

“What the hell is he doing here?”

 

“I’m just showing him a good time, Knuckles,” Sonic affirms, stepping closer to him. “Don’t be rude.”

 

“I was just asking, jeez.” The echidna waves them off and lifts a beer bottle from the carpet, throwing back a swig. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”

 

“Don’t mind Knuckles.” Sonic looks back over at Shadow. “He gets a little feisty when he’s high.”

 

Right. There were definitely illegal drugs in the apartment and it takes everything in Shadow not to let his inner government agent come out and kill the fun. He feels Sonic gently pushing on his side and realizes he’s ushering him over to one of the empty spots in the corner.

 

“Come on, sit. Relax.”

 

It’s tough, but Shadow eventually gives in. He hesitantly takes a seat near the end of the couch and Sonic squeezes in beside him, a goofy grin plastered across his face. He throws back the remnants of liquid in his cup and tosses the cup into a nearby trashcan.

 

Shadow feels awkward. He’s wedged between Sonic and the arm of the chair and surrounded by unfamiliar faces. Some of which look friendly and others not so much. The echidna passes a lit blunt to a silver hedgehog and cackles as he has trouble taking a hit without coughing. Two birds are hulled up in the corner in a manner that’s to up close and personal to just be friendly. Sonic shifts next to him and he lurches as the cushion gives in with his weight.

 

Shadow’s afraid to admit it, but he doesn’t know how to compose himself in social settings like this. It’s been far too long since he’s been faced with so many new people at once, and it’s making him anxious.

 

“So, Shadow.” He looks up from the floor and realizes that the pink hedgehog is staring directly at him. “Sonic’s told us a bit about you. It seems like you two have a lot in common.”

 

He narrows his eyes. “Such as?”

 

“Well, you both seem to enjoy track a lot.”

 

Shadow hesitates. “I don’t run track. I haven’t since high school.” He says. “I run purely for my own enjoyment and physical maintenance, not for a team or anything of the like.”

 

“Oh.” She pouts. “Well, either way, you both still like running, so that’s a start.”

 

“He’s actually pretty hard to keep up with.” Sonic lazes back against the couch as he speaks. “Shadows probably the first real challenge I’ve had in awhile. I was pretty impressed.”

 

Shadow can tell they’re just trying to make conversation, but he’s still struggling to interact. He shrugs and folds his arms across his chest, deciding that no response is probably the better than saying something he’ll regret.

 

Sonic frowns as the attention drifts off them. He looks around for the bottle of peach vodka he’d seen rotating around the room earlier and rises from the couch once he lays his eyes on it. He takes it from its place near Silver’s feet and snatches a few solo cups in addition. He sits back down with the bottle in one hand and the other offered to Shadow.

 

“Here,” He says, pouring a shot into the cup. “Have a drink. You seem really tense.”

 

The striped hedgehog scoffs and holds up a hand. “I’m fine, thank you.” 

 

Knuckles eyes them from across the room and lets the smallest smirk form on his face. He pulls himself up from the armchair beneath him and makes his way over to the two, perching himself on the edge of the coffee table as leans into his knees.

 

“What’s the matter, Shadow?” He asks. “Can’t hold your liquor?”

 

“Knuckles, get your huge ass off the table.” Sonic nudges him with a socked foot. “It’s not meant to hold up all that weight.”

 

“Relax, Sonic.” He waves at him dismissively. “I’m just asking him a question.”

 

Shadow’s not at all intimidated by him. He lowers his lids and scoffs as he replies. “I can, actually.”

 

It’s the truth. Shadow’s had his fair share of drunken nights and knows his limits. He’d even drank Vector under the table once at a bar hop after work, and the guy was damn near five hundred pounds.

 

“Then what’s the worry?” Knuckles presses on. “One little shot won’t hurt.”

 

“Dude, quit it.” Sonic says irritably. “Stop being an asshole.”

 

“You sure I’m the one you need to be telling that too?” He asks back. “Besides. He said he can hold his liquor.” Knuckles takes the cup from Sonic’s hand and holds it in front of Shadow’s face. “Unless you’re full of shit like I think you are.”

 

“Knuckles! What the hell is your problem?!”

 

“Save it, Hedgehog.” Sonic eyes go wide when Shadow reaches across his lap and snatches the bottle of vodka from his hand. His eyes stay locked on Knuckles as he twists the cap off. “I’ve had enough of this nonsense.”

 

Without warning, Shadow upends the bottle into his mouth. It burns on its way down, but it’s nowhere near the worst liquor he’s ever had. Sonic looks on in near shock as he downs what has to be at least three shots worth of alcohol at once. He clears his throat the moment he pulls it away from his face, forcing the bottle out into Knuckles’ free hand.

 

“There.” Shadow sits back. “Now will you please do me a favor and get out of my face?”

 

Knuckles isn’t even sure what to say. He stares in disbelief as the hedgehog sits back against the seat, a deadpanned look spread across his face. Shadow feels the couch moving next to him and notices that Sonic’s nearly vibrating with excitement. His eyes are big behind his sunglasses and his grin is pinned to each cheek.

 

“Holy shit!” He gave Shadow light smack on the shoulder. “That was awesome! Hell, I don’t even think Knuckles could handle that.”

 

“Yeah, yeah.” The echidna grumbles and climbs back to his feet, much to Shadow’s relief. He downs the contents of the cup and tosses it in some miscellaneous direction, taking his back his original seat.

 

Shadow tries his best to conceal the slight cough that comes out. It’s regrettably not the first time he’s pulled off that little trick, but it certainly wasn’t something that grew easier over time. Sonic’s still staring at him like an exhibit and he finally decides that ignoring him in this particular instance wasn’t going to earn him any peace.

 

“So, where’d you learn how to do that?” He asks, scooting a bit closer to him. “I’ll be honest, I’ve only ever seen stuff like that in movies.”

 

Shadow shrugs. “I may seem fairly collected, but my past is far from it.” He says. “I’ve had my fair share of alcohol driven escapades.”

 

“I find that a little hard to believe.” Sonic scoffs. “No offense or anything. But, y’know. You seem so disciplined. I can’t imagine you have a lot of wild nights.”

 

Maybe it’s the vodka beginning to loosen his inhibitions, but Shadow feels a bit less rigid than when he’d walked through the door. The smallest smirk forms on his face as he looks Sonic in the eye, chuckling under his breath. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know, Sonic.”

* * *

 

 It’s ebbing on the forty-five minute mark and Shadow barely even realizes it.

 

Quite the contrary, actually. He’ll admit he didn’t fully believe Sonic when he’d mentioned that his friends were easy-going, but in reality, that was more than the case. Well, save the hawk that attempted to pick a fight with Sonic about some menial videogame that he’d had no idea about. He wasn’t really listening, anyway. Every so often that Sonic would stop talking to him directly, he’d find himself zoning out and staring into the across the room at nothing in particular.

 

It’s only when Sonic offers him pizza that he declines and steps back into reality. He hasn’t moved from his place on the couch while Sonic’s been bouncing around the room talking to everyone at least once. He’s truly a social butterfly, now that Shadow sees him in action. And he feels slightly less annoyed by that quality.

 

Sonic plops back down next to him after taking another shot of vodka, nearly losing his balance as he does. He slumps onto Shadow’s shoulder as he speaks, mildly catching him off guard.

 

“You’ve been cooped up in this corner all night.”

 

He’s slurring a lot more than earlier and Shadow can tell the alcohol has truly taken effect. Sonic’s lost the shades and his inability to concentrate on his eyes lets Shadow know that he’s more than far gone by now.

 

“I’m comfortable.” He replies, shifting a bit under Sonic’s weight.

 

“Ya sure you don’t want anything to eat? We got more than jus’ pizza.” Sonic tilts his head. “Or do you want more liquor? Cause we sure as hell got it.” He playfully punches his arm. “You look awfully sober for bein’ at a party.”

 

He’s definitely not, but Shadow’s not about to admit that. He shakes his head, waving dismissively as he replies.  “I’ll pass on the sugary nightmare you call alcohol.”

 

“‘Sugary nightmare’?” Sonic cackles. “I love Evedka. You’re just picky.”

 

“Of course _you_ love it. Every college kid loves it because it’s cheap and gets you drunk quickly.” Shadow says. “I prefer dark liquor, if I’m being frank.”

 

 “Oh, f’real?” Sonic sits up. “We got some rum in the kitchen. If you want any.”

 

Shadow wishes that he didn’t let himself get so tipsy because agrees quicker than he should have. His half intoxicated brain lets Sonic pull him up from the couch and guide him back into their kitchen, watching as he aimlessly stumbles around. It’s another instance of uncanny valley seeing it; it’s exactly like theirs but more _empty_. There’s a few appliances here and there and a Grand Metropolis University flag hanging on the wall, but other than that it’s clear that the kitchen doesn’t get used that often.

 

After three attempts, Sonic finally finds the bottle he’s looking for in a higher cabinet. He has to climb onto the counter to get it down and Shadow’s surprised he doesn’t fall off when he does. He returns to the floor and pulls a few clean shot glasses from the dish rack, uncapping the rum and leveling off both their cups.

 

Shadow narrows his eyes as he watches Sonic pull the glass to his lips, grinning like an idiot.

 

“Are you sure you about that?” He asks. “That’s quite a large shot for someone who doesn’t like hard alcohol.”

 

“Pssht. Relax,” Sonic shoves him playfully. “I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse things down my throat.”

 

Shadow’s eyes go wide. He’s not entirely sure if his double entendre is intentional, but the goofy grin on his face lets him know that it probably is. Sonic tilts his head back, howling after he quickly downs the contents of his glass. He covers his nose and mouth with his hand and slams it back down the counter, muffling the groan that escapes.

 

“ _Chaos._ ” He coughs. “That shit burned my damn nose.”

 

“I tried to warn you.” Shadow shrugs as he takes his shot with ease. “This isn’t something you should play around with. Especially if you’re not experienced.”

 

“Yeah, yeah.” Sonic places his glass in the sink. “I didn’ die though, and that’s all that matters.”

 

Shadow shakes his head, and it’s the second moment tonight that Sonic sees a small smile form on his face. It’s barely noticeable, but it’s miles different than the normal scowl that he wears. His eyes linger on his overall physique a touch longer than they should; he doesn’t normally see Shadow’s arms but he’s more than thrilled to now. He looks really good in t-shirts, Sonic realizes. The black and the shorter sleeves are doing extremely favorable things to the definition in his torso and Sonic can’t help but chew on his lip a bit at the sight.

 

God, he’s not sober enough for this.

 

Shadow seems to notice his wandering eye; he tilts his head as he speaks.   


“You’re staring again.”

 

“Whoops. Sorry.” Sonic chuckles, shifting his weight on his feet. “You’re just sight for sore eyes, as all.”

 

Shadow raises his brows. “Is that so?”

 

“Uh-huh.” Sonic reaches out and places and on his shoulder, nearly missing in his stupor. “Y’know, I’m not gonna lie.” He slurs. “That time when you came into the locker room all shirtless ‘n stuff, I got all flustered.”

 

Shadow doesn’t step back when Sonic moves closer. The blue hedgehog leans over towards his ear and giggles as he speaks. “It kinda makes me wanna see what else you could do with those muscles.”

 

The rum has clearly kicked in, because Shadow doesn’t pull away or even flinch. He finds himself chuckling and shaking his head right back at Sonic.

 

“Be careful what you wish for.” Shadow lowers his lids as he speaks. “I’d _break_ you, hedgehog.”

 

Sonic nearly chokes on his own spit. He steps back from Shadow’s personal space and coughs over the sink, trying his hardest not to embarrass himself any further than what he already has. He doesn’t have time to see Shadow’s reaction before a third set of footsteps peter into the kitchen, grabbing Sonic by the arm and pulling him away from the counter.

 

“Dude, you gotta come deal with this.” Silver urges, ushering him towards the door. “Jet made a bet with Knuckles that he could rip a bigger hit than him and now they’re both arguing over it. I think Jet almost knocked something over.”

 

Sonic mutters as they both escape back into the living room. Shadow doesn’t even get the chance to say anything before he’s alone in the kitchen, accompanied by nothing but the empty shot glasses on the counter. He stares at the marble for a moment, debating in his head whether or not he’d made the best decision a few minutes ago. It’s too much for his clouded mind to decipher right now, so he decides to let it go. He places his shot glass in the sink and the rum back in the cabinet before starting back out into the hall, flicking off the kitchen light as he does.

 

* * *

 

It’s far too late into the night when Shadow realizes he’s fucked up.

 

He’s never tried so hard to focus in his life, but even being alone in this bathroom doesn’t help his struggling brain concentrate on the reflection in front of him. He’s hunched over the sink, eyes narrowed at the unsteady hedgehog he sees in the mirror. He almost doesn’t recognize himself and Shadow grimaces at that realization. He knows himself well enough to see that he’s drunk. He’s completely and utterly intoxicated and there’s not a single thing he can do about it.

 

The moment he’d stood from the couch to use the bathroom, he knew something was wrong. He _lurched_ when he was on his feet, and that took him entirely by surprise. Shadow had only had maybe five shots total, which typically wasn’t a lot for him. He’d been far deeper when he’d outdrank Vector and didn’t plan on losing his coherence tonight.

 

With how hard he has to stare to focus on himself, however, he knows that won’t be the case.

 

What happened to his tolerance? The question tears around his brain in a fight to form a complete thought. Sure, it had been a year or so since he’d drank this heavily, but Chaos. He felt like he could fall over at any given moment.

 

Shadow’s not even sure if he’s used the bathroom yet, and he’s not about to take the risk of missing the toilet in a drunken daze. He jumps when he hears a knock on the door, staring defensively at the knob as it turns.

 

“Shadow?” He thinks he recognizes the voice; It’s the pink hedgehog. “Are you alright in there? You’ve been gone for a while.”

 

He lifts one hand off the sink in an attempt to turn the knob and fails. A frustrated groan escapes his mouth as he tries again, this time with a little less swiftness. The door falls open and Shadow leans on it for support, feeling his balance go out the moment he takes his weight off the counter.

 

Amy looks at him with wide eyes. Tonight is the first time she’s actually interacted with Shadow, but she can immediately tell that this particular version of him isn’t the norm. He runs a hand down his face as he looks up at her, his eyes darting around her face.

 

“Do...” She steps closer. “Do you need to sit down? You look unsteady.”

 

“I’m fine.” Shadow lies. “I jus’ need...”

 

Chaos. Every thought slips through his fingers and it’s _infuriating._

 

“Where is Sonic?”

 

She’s giggling at him, and if he were more coherent, he’d probably lash out at her for it. It barely phases him, however. Amy offers her arm as she replies.

 

“I can take you to him, if you’d like.”

 

Shadow nods and latches on to her. “Thank you.”

 

She guides him back to the living room and Shadow tries his best not to lose his balance as they walk. Once they pass through the threshold of the hallway, Amy gestures to the couch beside them.

 

“Here, why don’t you just sit for a second while I get you some water.”

 

Shadow grunts. That isn’t what he wants. He’d asked for Sonic, not more beverages. She leaves him before he can protest, however. He finds himself perched back in the same spot he’d felt so comfortable in before.

 

The music feels infinitely louder. The bodies that were once seated around the room all seem to be crowded around the center now, dancing and thrashing to a heavy bassline that Shadow surprisingly recognizes.

 

It’s the artist that Sonic had shown him that one car ride.

 

Shadow manages to spot the blue hedgehog in the crowd and stumbles back to his feet, pushing his way through the bystanders blocking him from his destination. Sonic’s lost his outer shirt and sways around in a baggy red jersey, his face lighting up when he sees Shadow’s amongst everyone else’s.

 

Any attempt to have a conversation is lost when Sonic grips onto his wrists and pulls him closer. He’s pushing him to dance but the message isn’t making it through Shadow’s intoxicated brain. The blue hedgehog doesn’t plan on giving up any time soon. He lets of Shadow’s arms briefly to turn around in his grasp, promptly pressing his back against his chest.

 

The synth is loud and overwhelming. The sudden aroma of Shadow’s cologne is Sonic’s nose is exhilarating, and he grinds back against him without a care in the world. Shadow doesn’t pull away, he’s gotten the message. Sonic gasps when he feels his hands pull his hips closer and his head lulls back against Shadow’s shoulder as the music surrounds them. The room suddenly feels both empty and filled to the brim at the same time. There’s countless people around them but they’re only focused on each other. Shadow forcibly tilts Sonic’s head to the side as he nuzzles his face in the crook of his neck, earning the smallest moan when he kisses the exposed skin.

 

Sonic feels like he might pass out right then and there.

* * *

 

_Knuckles: “Are you home?”_

_Rouge: “On my way back from a day out, why?”_

_Knuckles: “Shadow’s here.”_

_Rouge: “Oh? That’s...surprising.”_

_Knuckles: “And he’s wasted.”_

_Rouge: “Oh wow.”_

_Knuckles.”Do you think you can come get him when you get in? I don’t think he can make it down on his own.”_

_Rouge: “...Sure thing. I’ll see you in a bit.”_

_Knuckles: “Thanks.”_

* * *

 

Rouge’s eyes scan over the conversation for the fifth time as she waits outside Sonic’s apartment. The toe of her shoe clacks against the ground repeatedly as she waits for someone to answer the door. It’s nearly one in the morning and she hopes to Chaos that Shadow hasn’t passed out in the thirty minutes it took her to get home.

 

She breathes a sigh of relief the moment she hears the click of the locks turning. Suddenly, she’s faced with Knuckles’ towering stature and the unsteady hedgehog in his arms, clutching onto his chest for dear life.

 

“Oh dear.” Rouge takes a step forward. “Shadow?”

 

His eyes struggle to focus on her, but he manages to catch her gaze. He squints in confusion, looking her up and down.

 

“Why’re your tits out?”

 

That gives Rouge all the confirmation she needs. She shakes her head and chuckles under her breath, looking back up at Knuckles.

 

“How long has he been like this?”

 

“For an hour or two, at least.” He replies, helping him across the threshold and into Rouge’s arms. “The party’s kinda dying down now, people are either crashing or going home.” He says. “And I doubt Shadow would be too keen on waking up here.”

 

“You’re not wrong about that,” Rouge affirms. “I hope he wasn’t too much of an ass. I haven’t seen him this plastered in years.”

 

Knuckles waves his hand. “Don’t worry about it. Just try and get him home before he pukes.”

 

“I’ll try.” She tries her best to maneuver with Shadow’s dead weight. “Thanks for calling me, Knux. It’s much appreciated.”

 

“Not a problem.” He steps back into the apartment. “Have a good night.”

 

“You too.”

 

The door closes and Rouge looks over at the slumped hedgehog on her side. His head rests on her shoulder in a way that lets her know that he’s not far from K.O.ing for the night, and she wants to make sure they’re at least through the door of their apartment before that happens.

 

She ushers them to the elevator and helps him inside its confines, secretly grateful that they’re only one floor down. Shadow murmurs into her jacket as it beeps, and Rouge thinks it’s something along the lines of “so warm” or something of the like.

 

She unlocks their door and flicks on the light, helping him to the couch and propping him up against the arm of the chair. It seems almost instantaneous, but the moment she steps away to fetch him a glass of water, she hears a soft “thud” against the cushions.

 

Rouge turns to see her friend face down, splayed out across the couch and snoring. Rather than trying to move him, she decides that it’d probably be best to let Shadow sleep this one off. Although she does feel regretful that she can’t make fun of him tonight, she spares him the scrutiny and finds him a blanket from the closet instead. She drapes it over his catatonic body and turns his head so he’s not inhaling through the cushions.

 

Rouge takes one last look over her shoulder before stealing away to her room for the night, turning the dimmer switch off as she closes the door behind her. It may not have been the most dignified ending, but she’s internally glad Shadow at least had _some_ fun tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm ngl, I really had a LOT of fun writing this chapter and I'm so happy i finally got to post it. Thanks for keeping up my dudes and I'll see yall cowpokes next update.


	7. Sunshine and Knives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter than others, so just keep that in mind. (Also thank god I finally figured out how to fix that weird spacing issue)
> 
> Thank you my dudes!

Shadow’s head is pounding when he wakes up.

He groans as he turns over in his bed; wincing at the foul taste in his mouth and fogginess of his brain. He doesn’t remember going to bed last night, the last thing he can fully recall is being at Sonic’s. His body feels unusually heavy. It takes a few moments of tossing and turning of turning for him to realize that he’s still wearing his clothes from last night.

Shadow attempts to pull himself up from the mattress and quickly finds out that movement makes the cacophony in his skull a million times worse. He groans again, tossing his head back against the headboard and closing his eyes.

He at least has to get to the bathroom, he tells himself that. Rouge’s ibuprofen is in his medicine cabinet and he knows he won’t be able to function this morning without it. With some hesitance, Shadow rolls out of bed, shielding his eyes from the open blinds as he quickly scrambles over to close them.

The trek across his room is a begrudging one, but Shadow manages it without completely passing out from the pain. His hand slides down against the light switch and he leans against the sink, groaning at the sight of himself in the mirror.

He looks _terrible._ His undereye bags are loud and prominent on his face and his eyes are tinted red from rough sleep. Shadow just wants the throbbing in his skull to _stop._ He notices some miscellaneous stains on his shirt and the lingering smell of liquor in his clothes and without hesitation, he pulls it over his head. It goes flying out into his bedroom and he relishes in the feeling of cool air on his fur.

The faucet creaks on with a loud squeak as he splashes his face with water, hoping to at least somewhat clear the fog around his mind. A few minutes in, Shadow hears his bedroom door slide open. He looks back over his shoulder and winces at the face he sees poking through the threshold.

“Good morning, sunshine.”

Shadow rolls his eyes and turns back to the sink, not paying Rouge much mind when she approaches the bathroom door. She looks fresh faced per usual, and smells of that cucumber melon body wash she always uses. He groans knowing that whatever scent he’s giving off right now is probably far from pleasant.

“Did you have fun last night, tiger?”

“Save it, Rouge.” Shadow turns off the faucet and wipes his face off with a nearby hand towel. “I know I say it often, but right now I am _truly_ not in the mood.”

“I can imagine.” She leans onto the door frame. “You were pretty out of it when I came to get you last night.”

Shadow furrows his brows, pausing in his tracks. “You...got me from the party?”

“Mhmm.” Rouge steps out of his way when he walks through the bathroom door. “You don’t remember?”

Shadow begins searching around the room for his phone, ripping a few pillows off his bed in the process. “No, I don’t.”

“Well, what _do_ you remember?”

Shadow stops. He has to focus on her question because he honestly isn’t sure. The memories are there, but they’re foggy. They’re broken up through a kaleidoscope of alcohol, he’s not sure what really did happen and what’s just his mind trying to fill in the gaps.

“Not a lot.” He replies, returning to his search.

“Mm,” Rouge presses her back to his wall. “According to Knuckles, you were pretty reserved for the night until you got a few shots of vodka in your system.”

He remembers that. Vaguely, but it’s there.

“And?”

“ _And,_ by the end of the night, he says he saw you and Blue getting a little...” She purses her lips when he looks at her. “Up close and personal.”

The memory hits him like a brick. It’s barely there, but he remembers the feeling more than anything. The music, the sweat, the heat of Sonic’s body against his. It all comes rushing back like a waterfall and all he can do is groan when it’s finally clear.

“Don’t sound so bitter about it.” Rouge chuckles. “I was told you seemed to be enjoying yourself quite a bit.”

“Can we not discuss this right now?” Shadow grumbles lowly, squatting to peer under his bed. “I know you’re just aching to get under my skin about it, but I’d rather you not do it when I’m this on edge.” He bangs his fist on the ground. “Where the _fuck_ is my goddamn phone?!”

“Take a breath, Shadow.” Rouge reaches into her robe and pulls out the missing object. “You left it upstairs. I went and picked it up earlier when one of Sonic’s friends found it.”

Shadow rises to his feet. It doesn’t sit well with him that it’s been out of his possession for so long, but he chooses not to be yet another thing to stress him out this morning. He takes the phone from her hands and goes back over to his bed, sitting down on its edge with his head in his hands.

“Please tell me I didn’t vomit at that party.”

“You didn’t.” His sigh of relief is quickly cut short. “You threw up about an hour later in the kitchen sink.”

Shadow gives her a look that’s a mix of both frustration and embarrassment; she shakes her head and chuckles.

“I decided to let you crash on the couch after we got in.” Rouge starts. “But somewhere around two, I heard some shuffling in the kitchen followed by the sound of retching your damn brains out.” She says. “I came out and found you slumped over the counter, groaning like a wounded animal.”

“Kill me.” Shadow flops back on his back, bringing a pillow to his face to howl into its fibers.

“Stop being so dramatic.” Rouge chides him. “This is nowhere near the most embarrassing thing that I’ve seen you do. You’re talking to someone who helped you wash your damn asscrack when broke a rib two summers ago.”

“Thanks for reminding me.” He grumbles, turning onto his side.

Rouge rolls her eyes and walks over to his bed, taking her place on the foot as she pushes his shoulder. “Stop being a baby. You got a little wasted, had a little fun with a handsome stranger and clearly had a good time. You’ll live this down, Shadow.”

“That’s not the point.” He turns back to look at her. “I don’t care about whatever Sonic’s friends think of me. They’re just a bunch of kids.” He says. “I’m almost certain I gave that hedgehog the wrong idea last night.”

“You think so?”

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he brings his phone to his face and unlocks it, scrolling a bit until he finds what he’s looking for. Shadow tilts the screen towards her and she squints, touching it with her hands to bring it a bit closer.

 It’s a picture of a piece of notebook paper with a phone number scrawled across it. From the looks of it, she can only assume that Sonic must have come across Shadow’s phone during the night and settled for a picture when he couldn’t get it unlocked. He has terrible handwriting, but the heart clearly drawn after the last digit says enough.

“Hm.” Rouge lets go of his phone. “You sure that’s the wrong message, hun?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Shadow asks. “I don’t have time for this right now. It was a drunken mistake.”

“Maybe. But to be fair, in my experience, alcohol doesn’t _make_ you do things that you didn’t already want to do.” Shadow side-eyes her, and she shrugs. “I’m just being honest, hun.”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

“Do you ever?”

He doesn’t reply. He turns back onto his side, burying his face in a nearby pillow. His head is still pounding and he hasn’t taken the ibuprofen yet. Rouge’s reality check isn’t helping quell the pain behind his eyes. She sighs and rises from the bed, retying the belt on her robe as she starts towards the door.

“Listen, why don’t you try and get washed up while I head down to the lobby to get us some breakfast.” Rouge glances at the clock on his nightstand. “Well, lunch at this point.”

Shadow peels his face up from the pillow to look over at her. “....Fine.” 

“Good. I’ll see if they have any more of those poppyseed muffins that you like left.” She turns towards the door, but pauses to look over her shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up too much Shadow, alright?”

“Whatever.”

With that, she slides his bedroom door shut and leaves him on his own. He lies there for a moment, feeling his chest rise and fall as he stares into the galaxy of his eyelids. He reaches a hand out to feel around for his phone, lifting it from the sheets when the metal brushes against his fingertips. Shadow pulls up the picture again, giving it a long stare before promptly tapping the “trash” icon.

He doesn’t have time for this right now, and he tells himself that over and over as he gets himself ready for the shower he’d promised Rouge he’d take.

He’s not ready to get hurt again.

* * *

“Do we want garlic bread with this pizza? Or are we just going to stick with a side salad?”

Amy turns down the heat on her stove as the sausage sizzles and crackles in the pan below her. She faces away and looks over at the table, eyeing the knife in Sonic’s hand with a tinge of fear in her eyes.

“Sonic, be careful!”

“FUCK!”

She’s too late, the blade comes down on his finger as he absentmindedly chops one of the peppers they’d gotten earlier today. He drops the knife like it’s alive and clutches his hand, wincing at the pool of red that begins to form.

“Holy shit—” Tails pushes the head of garlic he’s peeling to the side and rushes over to him, pulling at his wrist. “Let me see, let me see!”

Amy stops what she’s doing as well. She darts over to the table to peer past Sonic’s shoulder and assess the damage.

“It doesn’t look that bad.” Tails slides off his glove. “It doesn’t look good, but you definitely don’t need stitches”

“Here,” Amy pulls a few napkins from the holder beside them. “Hold these down on it. Hard, so the bleeding stops.”

Tails takes the clump from her hands and pushes into Sonic’s palm, curling his fist shut. He hisses at the pain but doesn’t flinch, looking up at both of them.

“Thanks, guys.” He says. “I guess I zoned out a bit there.”

“I’ll sure say,” Amy replies, concern evident in her voice. “We already had to ban you from using the stove. Do we have to bar you from sharp objects too?”

Sonic shakes his head. “I’m just a little out of it, that’s all.”

“Well, maybe you don’t need to be using a knife in that case.” Tails climbs to his feet. “Come on, let’s clean this up so it doesn’t get infected.”

He’s guided over to the sink where a stream of cool water stings the cut on his hand. Tails holds his arm still while Amy leaves to search for band-aids in the linen closet. Faint crimson washes down the stainless steel drain as Sonic lets out an exasperated sigh, biting his lip when Tails squirts soap into his hands.

“So,” The fox starts, sudsing his hand. “What are you thinking about that’s got you so out of touch with reality?”

Sonic looks away, wincing at the sting of cleanser. “Y’know. Just....stuff.”

“‘Just stuff’?” Tails asks. “Sonic, I think we’ve been friends long enough that you know that answer’s not gonna cut it.”

“I know, I know. It’s just...” He looks away.  “It’s complicated.”

“ _What’s_ complicated?”

He breathes a sigh of relief when Tails turns the water off, luckily just in time for Amy to return with a small box in hand. A few dabs from a paper towel and two bandaids later, they’re back over at the table, crowded around the cutting board.

“Lemme guess.” Tails reaches for a new, not blood covered knife. “This has something to do with Shadow.”

Sonic looks up from the table, smiling nervously. “Am I really that transparent?”

“You’re not exactly hard to figure out.” He replies. “Did something happen?”

Amy scoffs as she slides the cutting board towards herself. “Of course something happened, did you not see them all over each other at the party?”

“Jeez.” Sonic says. “Did everyone see that? It felt like we were more discreet about it.”

“You weren’t.” She answers. “But to be fair, you were both drunk.”

“And kinda high.” Tails adds, crushing a clove of garlic under his knife. “Well, I know you were. I’m not sure about Shadow.”

“He wasn’t. He works for the government. I don’t think he could even if he wanted to.”

“Mhmm.” Amy hums. “So what happened?”

Sonic slumps onto his folded arms and groans loudly. “That’s exactly it. Nothing’s happened.” He says. “I haven’t seen or heard from Shadow since that night.”

Tails furrows his brows. “Do you normally see him that often?”

“Not _every day_ , but more often than this.” He answers. “I used to run into him at the gym sometimes, or see him in the elevator or the cafe when I’d leave with Knuckles for school. But now...” He groans. “It's been two weeks. I think he’s avoiding me.”

“Oh no.” Amy frowns and looks up from the pepper she’d been chopping. “Don’t tell me he got spooked.”

“I did leave my number in his phone.” Sonic frowns at the look they give him. “Don’t look at me like that! If you heard what he said to me that night, you’d totally be on my side.”

Tails narrows his eyes. “Which was?”

He suddenly feels his face go hot as the memory floods back to him. He’s back in their kitchen and he can feel Shadow’s lustful eyes as he tells him he’d break him. Purple lights dance around his memory as he feels Shadow’s lips pull away from his neck and his breath on his ear.

_“You have no idea what I’d do to you.”_

Amy and Tails’ eyes go wide as he parrots it back, the former choking on the water she’d begun to sip. Sonic buries his head in his arms and practically yells in frustration, running his hands through his quills.

“I _know.”_

 “ _Wow.”_ Tails purses his lips as he tries not to laugh. “In that case, yeah. He probably is spooked.”

“This isn’t _fair._ ” Sonic whines into the table. “I haven’t dated anyone in years and the _one time_ this gorgeous guy practically falls into my lap, he bails on me.”

“I don’t think it’s that black and white.” Amy receives a confused look from both of them, and she continues. “Okay, look at it this way. Let’s try and put ourselves in Shadow’s headspace for a second.”

Tails closes his eyes and turns his head around the room. “It’s angsty in here.”

“Oh be quiet.” She shoves his arm. “Picture this. You’re a young professional who’s spent most of his life alone without anyone really to answer to but yourself.” She says. “You’re perfectly happy with the walls you’ve built up around yourself, but all of a sudden some cute young guy comes in and tries his hardest to tear them down.”

Sonic scoffs. “You say that like you know him personally.”

“Maybe I don’t, but I don’t think it’s a wild assumption to make,” Amy replies. “He probably felt embarrassed after the party. Most likely because drunk Shadow’s walls apparently aren't anywhere near as high as sober Shadow’s.”

“The fact that you’re probably right makes me wanna tear my fur out.” Sonic complains, leaning back in his chair. “What the hell am I supposed to do now? Just act like nothing happened?”

“Maybe try talking to him?” Tails suggests. “I know it might seem kinda hard since, y’know, he’s avoiding you. But he has to leave his house at _some_ point, doesn’t he?”

“I don’t know if that’s the best idea.” Amy pushes herself out from the counter and walks over to her fridge, raising her voice as she speaks. “He already feels pressured. Why not just talk to Rouge first to see what she thinks?”

Sonic whines. “Both of those ideas seem like a lot of work.”

“Well? Do you want to pursue him or not?” She asks, looking over her shoulder. “Even blossoming relationships take work, Sonic.”

“I....” He swallows. “I do. I really do.”

“Then put in the effort.”

Sonic lets his face fall back towards the table. He knows that there isn’t going to be a magical solution to his problems, but he hasn’t felt like this in a _while._ He’s not even sure how to deal with the newfound emotions he’s having, let alone solve issued that they’ve already caused. He pushes up from the faux wood and leans onto his elbows, letting a heavy sigh escape his lips.

“Okay, you win.” He says. “I’m gonna try and confront him.”

“No! What did I just say?” Amy closes the refrigerator door and starts back over towards the table. “Talk to Rouge first!”

“Ames, I appreciate the advice, but I wanna handle this my way.” Sonic replies. “I wanna hear what Shadow has to say first.”

Her mouth opens and closes a few times as if she’s trying to respond, but can’t quite find the words. She sighs as she sits back down, shaking her head in frustration. “Fine. If that’s how you feel.”

“I think it’s a good idea.” Tails speaks up, pushing the pile of crushed garlic into the small dish Amy had set on the table. “If anything, I don’t think you can make things any worse.”

“I sure hope not.” Sonic breathes one last frustrated breath before straightening up in his chair. “Now, can we talk about something other than my love life for a change?”

“Sure.” Amy says with too much confidence. “We can talk about _my_ love life.”

“Here we go again.” Tails is immediately met with a smack on the arm. “What was that for?!”

“Because! If Sonic gets free couples counseling then so should I.”

“What ‘couple’ are you referring to?” Tails asks. “The last time I checked, you found out that professor you liked was engaged.”

“This isn’t _about_ him, Tails.” Amy corrects. “It’s actually about...” The two look on in confusion as to why she hesitates so long, but relax once she speaks. “It’s about Blaze.”

“ _Come again?”_ Sonic nearly hops over the table. For once he’s not bristled by the idea of hearing about Amy’s personal life. “You and _who?!_ Since _when?!”_

“Since a few weeks ago.” She admits bashfully, blushing a bit. “We’re not, y’know, together or anything. But a lot has happened in the meantime.”

“This is blowing my mind.” Sonic says incredulously. “I thought you were straight!”

“So did I.” Amy chuckles. “But we learn new things about ourselves everyday, don’t we?”

“Okay, I need more details.” Tails says, scooting closer to the two of them. “Please, elaborate.”

They spend the next half hour doing just that, both of them listen like starstruck fans as Amy goes on about the unforeseen developments in her personal life. It’s only interrupted when they smell smoke coming from the oven and realize that Amy had forgotten to set a timer on the pizza dough they’d put in ages ago. It’s the only one they have, so rather than take another trek back to the supermarket, they settle for take out instead. The three migrate to Amy’s bedroom. While she and Tails debate on what movie they should watch for the night, Sonic stills has the gut feeling that maybe he should be paying Amy’s advice more attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is also around this length, just a heads up. Thank you to everyone keeping up!! Y'alls comments really make my day and I'm so happy you guys are enjoying it so much ;u;. I'll see you guys next update!!


	8. Glass Walls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so big fat warning that this chapter does contain smut. Light smut, but still smut. It's also another shorter chapter because I've got some pretty long ones coming up, so just bear with me lol.

Knuckles isn’t sure how things escalated so quickly. 

It feels as if he was just walking through Rouge’s door, hesitantly greeting her as she welcomed him into her home. He takes in the subtle scent of citrus as she walks by and clean smell of their apartment. It’s far more sophisticated than he’d expected but then again, he remembers that Shadow does live here too. 

She shows him over to one of the stools by their granite island and chats him up about his day. It’s strange. They’ve had a good amount of casual text conversations since she’d given him her number, but something about physically being in her presence makes him a bit more antsy. There’s nothing that can get lost in translation via face to face communication, or at least it doesn’t feel like it. Rouge is incredibly good at reading people and he’d noticed that early on. 

When Rouge had invited him over for drinks the first time a few weeks ago, he’d declined. He’d made up some excuse that he had an exam to study for when in reality the idea just made his heart race. When she’d tried again last week, he’d declined  _ again  _ and came up with yet  _ another  _ excuse that he’d just gotten off of work and didn’t quite feel up to it. It felt wrong to tell her no again, despite every fiber in his being telling him to blow her off and take Silver up on his offer to match later that day. 

She offers him a bit of leftovers from the dinner of pasta primavera that she’d made earlier, and he turns it down. Not out of malice or anything, but because he’s not particularly fond of tomatoes. She doesn’t press him; she just smiles and nods, asking him his preference in wine if anything. He lies and says chardonnay because it’s the first thing she mentions, he’s honestly not sure given that most of his encounters with alcohol are hard liquor. She obliges and grabs two wine glasses from out of the cabinet, pouring them both a glass as she continues her questions about his day. 

The conversation is nice. Knuckles doesn’t know why, but he hadn’t expected her to be so personable. Sure, he’d noticed that she was a bit feisty at times, but beyond that, she was actually quite funny. She’d made him belly laugh a few times during the evening and it was nice to not feel the pressure of having to be abrasive for once.

Rouge tells him more about her work, how she collects data on national cybersecurity and sometimes works as a hacker for her agency. She’d gotten a degree in computer science, apparently, which shocks him further. He hadn’t exactly expected the sultry bat who lived downstairs to be so versed in technology. 

The conversation falls short when she walks around the island to top off his glass again. He’s never been eye level with her and it’s a weird feeling. Her eyes are a nice teal color that he’d never really paid attention to before, and there’s a touch of vanilla in the citrus he’d smelled earlier. He doesn’t mean too, but he catches himself staring at the side of her face in search of something he’s not really sure of. 

This doesn’t go unnoticed by Rouge. She places the bottle down on the counter and looks over at him, smiling as he tries to play off his wandering eyes. She leans over and pulls her glass around to their side, laughing as she speaks.

_ “You’re not very inconspicuous, you know.”  _

Knuckles laughs through his nose.  _ “Sorry. I guess I just like lemons.”  _ He pauses.  _ “The scent. I like the scent. Not raw lemons.”  _

Rouge giggles as she sips her wine, shaking her head.  _ “Have I told you that you’re funny when you’re nervous?”  _

Knuckles frowns and laughs dryly.  _ “Who said I was nervous?”  _

_ “You don’t need to, hun. It’s written all over your face.”  _

He rolls his eyes. _ “There you go reading me again”  _

_ “My apologies.”  _ Her face softens. _ “Think of it as....a nervous tick.”  _

He doesn’t know what compels him too, but his hand brushes hers and catches her attention like a cat in the night. She sets her wine glass down and turns to face him, her gaze staring deeply into his. 

Knuckles has to push the bit of apprehension left in his brain away as she moves closer, filling the gap that forms between his thighs. Her small hands find their place on his shoulders as she leans down, eyes falling shut as their lips meet. 

It’s extraordinary. Rouge tastes of mint and leftover chardonnay and Knuckles finds himself getting lost in that sensation. His hands slide off his thighs and onto the back of her hips, pulling her closer as the kiss deepens. 

He hasn’t felt this in a while. Pure, unfiltered desire for someone.  He can’t tell if it’s the wine loosening up his nerves, but his need to have Rouge close to him has spiked insatiably. 

The moment he feels her lips part he pulls her onto his lap, begging to take control as her tongue intrudes his mouth. He wants her, suddenly and desperately. He wants to savor the taste of her and see how much more of her he’ll get to partake in tonight. 

He does want this. The lingering doubt in his mind is viciously overshadowed by the lust in his brain. He deserves this. It’s been over a year.  _ He deserves this.  _

 She’s so goddamn  _ warm _ . The skin of her lower back is soft and supple and aches for the touch of his bare hands. Knuckles takes a second to rip his gloves off his hands and eases his grasp further up her skin, not really caring about any reservations he’d had earlier. 

The soft moan she lets out is enough to spark a fire in him that hasn’t been lit in years. 

He hooks his arms underneath her thighs and lifts her up as he stands, bracing them together as he makes his way over to the couch. Rouge goes down against the cushions with a “flop” and watches with intense eyes as Knuckles pulls his tank over his head. 

_ “Chaos.”  _

He smirks and tosses it to the side, climbing over top of her.  _ “See somethin’ you like?”  _

_ “Absolutely.”  _

Rouge pulls his head back down with fervor, relishing in the feeling of his body weight on top of hers. He kisses with an aggression that she hasn’t seen before. She tries her hardest to match his passion, but  _ Chaos _ , he’s more intense than she’d anticipated. When he pulls away from her lips and migrates over to her neck she can’t hold back the moan that slips out. 

Rouge realizes that something about her voice must turn him on, because the more vocal she gets, the tighter he grips her. The more his hands search underneath her tank top and tug at her shorts. 

She has to stop them briefly, only because she’s adamant on not stripping down completely in the living room. Shadow still lives here, and even though she’s sure he won’t be back until later on into the night, she’s not about to take the risk of having him walk on them. 

Rouge jolts when Knuckles takes it upon himself to carry her bridal style into her bedroom. She’s a bit flustered at first, but she’ll admit, it’s got her mind wondering what else he could with that strength. 

Her room is a tad messy when they walk in, but he doesn’t seem to care. He rips off her remaining clothes like his life depends on it and forces her onto her back, pulling his jeans off his hips. 

The room feels hot and thick with lust. Hands grip and grasp at bare skin in ways that would put harlots to shame. She whines at the feeling of his head between her legs and her fingers lace their way into his locks, barely holding on as a whirlwind of sensations flood her abdomen. She shudders when he breaks away to kiss her again, a hungry look brimming in his eye. 

_ “Chaos.”  _ He groans. “ _ I wanna fuck the shit out of you.”  _

Her breath is ragged against his as she replies.   _ “Well, what’s stopping you?”  _

That’s all it takes for his name to be on her tongue, echoing off the walls and ringing in his ears. The sheets feel cool against her back as his presence burns every inch of her exposed skin. He’s wild and passionate in ways she’d never imagined. She’ll admit, she’d gone into the night not exactly knowing what would happen, but she’s nowhere near unsatisfied with the outcome. 

Knuckles pulls Rouge’s legs around his waist and swiftly turns her soft moans into cries. Her nails dig at his shoulders and she arches off the bed, no longer caring whether or not her neighbors can hear through the walls. 

Her climax hits her like a freight train and she trembles like a leaf beneath him, airy breaths racking her lungs as his hips become stochastic. His arms nearly give out as he hits the wall, grunting like an animal as he finishes inside her. 

They’re both spent. Rouge rolls out from underneath him and Knuckles flops onto his back, panting like he’d just ran a marathon. Her head presses against the pillow as she turns to look at him, her chest rising and falling. 

“That was incredible.” 

Knuckles lets out a strained laugh. “You’re not too bad yourself.” 

They lay there for a moment, basking in the afterglow of ecstasy and gathering themselves back together. It’s not until Rouge wriggles closer to his body and lays her head on his chest that he feels a sudden pang of regret. 

Her tenderness, the way her fingertips dance over his biceps, her bare cheek against his collarbone. It’s all too familiar and it stings like acid when Knuckles feels the pain of similar memories.

She’s shaken by the feeling of his body slipping out from her grasp. Rouge sits up in bed, staring in confusion as he walks around room. 

“What’s wrong?” 

He picks his boxers up from the carpet and slides them back over his hips. “I gotta go.” 

“Wait, what?” Rouge pulls herself over to the edge of the bed. “What are you talking about?” 

“I said I have to go.” He repeats. “This...this was a mistake.”

She’s baffled when he slips on his pants and starts toward the door. She scrambles for the robe that hangs on her closet door and bolts after him, fire in her stride. 

“A  _ mistake?!  _ Are you kidding me?!” Rouge growls when he doesn’t reply. “You’re just gonna leave?” 

“Listen, I’m sorry.” He snatches his shirt from the living room floor and pulls it back over his head. “I should’ve never come down here. I just—-I can’t do this shit right now.” 

She wants to scream, to throw something at him so he’ll at least linger a few minutes longer. Just as she feels herself reaching for the decorative bowl on the end table beside her, the sound of the front door unlocking makes her blood run cold. 

Shadow looks absolutely bewildered when he sees what he’s walked into. He stops in his stride through the door and stares at the two of them, bereft of anything to say. 

Knuckles doesn’t have time for this. He pushes past Shadow and slides out of the door, his footsteps echoing in the hallway as he walks towards the stairwell. Shadow nearly drops the brown bag of groceries in his hand and shouts back and him to no avail, kicking the door shut with his foot. He sets the bag down before giving Rouge an incredulous look. 

“What the fuck was that about?” 

She groans under her breath and turns on her heels, throwing her hands up in frustration. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” 

Before Shadow can get another word in, he’s silenced by the sound of her door slamming shut. Part of him debates going up and knocking just to make sure she’s alright, but he decides against it. He knows Rouge’s anger all too well. If she needed anything right now, it was some space. 

He bends down to pick his groceries up from the ground and walks into the kitchen, telling himself that he’d check on her in the morning after she’s cooled down a bit.

 

* * *

 

Sonic feels like a zombie. 

He’s never up this early. It’s an ungodly hour to him and he’s both shocked and disgusted that people willingly choose to do this. He’s barely functioning. He’d had a bit of coffee from the keurig his mom had loaned him but ended up pouring it down the sink. Even after dousing it with milk and sugar, it’s still far too bitter for him and doesn’t help to make it palatable. 

Sonic walks into the locker room of his gym and slings his duffle bag off his shoulder. He doesn’t know why he’d brought it, because he definitely doesn’t plan on staying for that long. Maybe it was just a force of habit, or maybe he just wanted to make this look believable. Either way, he’s splashing himself with water from the fountain trying to make himself look  _ somewhat  _ alive before he walks into the gym. 

It took him a few days to figure out when exactly Shadow had been leaving his apartment. At first he’d tried listening closely through the floors, but that quickly proved to be useless. Then, he’d staked out in the stairwell for random hours during the day just to try and get  _ some  _ grasp of what exactly Shadow was up to. It was a bit dramatic and time-consuming, but proved effective after about two days. He’d seen the hedgehog come up from the gym around seven in the morning, right around the time that he’d normally leave to catch the bus. 

He’s thankful that Shadow didn’t notice him, but shaken by the fact that he’s willing to climb  _ ten flights of stairs  _ to avoid him. Regardless, he interprets this information as best he can and hypothesizes that Shadow’s completely switched his normal workout time as to not run into him. It seems like a drastic thing to do, but he’s not surprised based off Shadow’s track record. 

This lands Sonic in the current moment, hyping himself up as he spots Shadow’s figure lying on a machine a few rows away from the window. He’s got no idea what he’s going to say to him when he walks up, but this doesn’t convince him not to go and basically make a fool of himself. 

“Hey there, stranger.” 

Shadow’s eyes go wide when he hears Sonic’s voice. They cut over from the barbell over his head and go cold once they land on his nervous, grinning face. He can’t, given the hundred-pound weight he’s holding up, but he has to resist the urge to run his hand down his face in annoyance.  

Sonic feels his heart rate spike when Shadow doesn’t acknowledge him any further. He didn’t pry himself out of bed at six am just to be ignored, and his efforts certainly aren’t about to be for nothing. 

“So it’s like that, huh?” The laugh that escapes is dry and biting. “You’re really gonna try and pretend like I don’t exist?” 

Shadow sighs inwardly and keeps his eyes pinned to the ceiling. “I don’t have time for this, Sonic.” 

“Chaos, can you please stop using that bullshit excuse?” He snaps back, his hands talking for him. “Quit trying to shut me out for once! We need to talk!” 

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Oh really? You wanna tell that to the hickey you left on my neck? Huh?” 

Shadow freezes momentarily. Sonic almost thinks that he’s gotten through to him when he finally reracks the weights and sits up. The deeply irritated expression on his face says otherwise, however. 

“I was drunk.” Shadow grabs his water bottle from the floor beside him. “There’s nothing more to it than that. I let things go farther than they should have, and that was my mistake.” 

Sonic laughs from the back of his throat and places his hands on his hips. “You’re really full of shit if you think I’m gonna believe that.” He says. “You don’t get drunk and ‘accidentally’ grind on someone. You didn’t trip and fall into my neck, Shadow.”

The striped hedgehog frowns at that. It’s eerily reminiscent of something Rouge had said to him a few weeks ago, and he’s not in the mood to be chewed out about this for a second time. He wants to collect his things and walk away from the situation, but he can tell that Sonic’s obviously very persistent and it won’t spell an end to this anytime soon. 

“Listen,” Sonic takes a seat on the bench parallel to his. “You don’t need to avoid me like we’re in high school or something. We’re both adults.” He tells him. “Why can’t we just talk about this?” 

Sonic has a point, and it grates at Shadow’s nerves when he realizes it. 

“There’s nothing that I have to say to you that I haven’t already said.” He replies, an air of tiredness in his voice.

“Stop making excuses!” Sonic finds himself raising his voice. “Can you at least look at me when I’m talking to you?” 

Begrudgingly, Shadow blinks slowly as he turns his head back to face him. He can’t quite place the words he  _ wants  _ to say, but he hopes that his facial expression says enough. They end up staring at each other for a few seconds before Sonic breaks the silence. 

“Can you at least tell me one thing?” 

Shadow hesitates. “Which is?” 

“Did you enjoy it?” 

His eyebrows go taut. “Excuse me?” 

 “Did. You. Enjoy it?” Sonic leans in a bit closer, balancing the weight of his torso on his knees. His eyes glance downward as a smirk forms on his face. “Because it sure felt like you did.” 

Shadow’s face goes red and his eyes are wide like a deer in headlights. He’s just trying to get a rise out of Shadow at this point, and it clearly works. So much so that he stands from the bench, snatching his water bottle from the ground in a frustrated huff. 

“It doesn’t matter.” He says. “This conversation is over.” 

“No--wait!” Sonic latches onto his arm when he starts to walk away, earning a fiery stare in response. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.” 

“You don’t say?” 

“I just--” He trips over his words. “I really,  _ really,  _ wanna get to know you Shadow.” 

Shadow scoffs. “No, you don’t. Let go of me.” 

“I do!” Sonic climbs to his feet. “Despite all the---y’know, lust and stuff, I think you’re...interesting. And a little confusing, but mostly interesting.” 

He narrows his eyes. “Thanks?” 

“I mean that in a good way.” Sonic corrects. “It’s a good type of confusing, and I wanna see if I can understand it a little bit more.” 

Shadow feels his grip loosen on his arm and lets it fall back to his side. This isn’t how he’d expected this conversation to go, and he certainly hadn’t anticipated feeling  _ bad _ about anything after it was over. He can’t ignore the guilty feeling in his chest, it’s his emotional side creeping up and trying desperately to get out. Shadow shoves it back down, knowing full and well that that side of him isn’t known for making the best decisions. 

“How about this,” Sonic starts. “Why don’t we just grab lunch or something? Somewhere lowkey in the city. It’ll barely even be a date.” 

He quickly realizes that “date” was probably the wrong word to use. The look on Shadow’s face goes stale as he throws his towel over his shoulder, turning away. 

“I’m sorry.” Shadow replies. “I genuinely don’t have time for this sort of thing in my life right now. I work nearly fifty hours a week.” He feels his chest pang at the disappointed look on Sonic’s face. “Sorry to get your hopes up.” 

Sonic doesn’t say anything as he watches Shadow walk away. He couldn’t find the words, even if he tried. What was he supposed to do? Chase after him and beg him to give him the time of day? He’s said his piece already and Sonic knows that nothing his sleep-deprived brain can conceive right now isn’t going to be enough to sway him. 

He waits until he can’t hear Shadow’s footsteps anymore to swear at the top of his lungs, banging his fist on the wall beside him. This was ridiculous. There’s a thin layer of bullshit on top of everything Shadow says and he’ll be damned if he’s going to let his apprehension stop him. Sonic makes his way back towards the locker room door, thinking heavily about his next move. He hates to admit it, but Amy was right, and he knows he won’t hear the end of it when he tells her. 

He knows Knuckles has Rouge’s number, and he decides to swallow his pride and ask for it. After all, Tails was right. He couldn’t possibly make things worse. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise we'll get through all this drama, lol. Just trust me. 
> 
> See yall next update. Thanks for reading my dudes!


	9. Dark Chocolate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back after a small, but much needed break. Thank y'all for the kind words and I hope y'all enjoy this chapter!!

Sonic doesn’t know why he’s so nervous. 

It feels like days pass before Rouge answers the door and he’s forced to look away from his sneakers. She smells really nice, it’s the first thing he notices. That, and she apparently owned a lot of purple; it’s the only color he’s seen her in since they’d met.

Rouge’s face blossoms with a warm smile as she gestures openly. “Please, come in sweetheart.” 

The term of endearment almost makes Sonic smile like an idiot, but he catches himself before he embarrasses himself too much. He pulls his hands out of his pockets and walks through the threshold, glancing around the room as the door closes behind him. 

Their apartment looks like something out of a house hunting magazine. He’s sure if Amy could see it she’d fawn into the next century, going on and on about how the color palette and modern furniture are to die for. He turns back to face Rouge, unsure of what to do with his hands. 

“Your home is really beautiful.”

She smiles, making her way into their kitchen. “Thank you, Sonic. That’s very kind of you to say.” 

“Not a problem,” Sonic says back. “It’s really weird how different our apartment looks than you guys’. It looks way more....” He hesitates. “Put together?” 

“You can thank Shadow for that.” She makes away around the stove, upending a bit of white wine into the pan. “He really has an eye for design. It’s strange, I never expected that from him.” 

“Shadow decorated this place?” Sonic looks around again, paying closer attention. “No offense to him, but y’know. I woulda thought you did all this.” 

“I did help, but mostly in the kitchen though,” Rouge replies. “But the living room was all him. Pretty incredible, isn’t it?” 

It is. Sonic marvels at the softness of everything, the grey shag rug beneath his feet, the striped throw pillows across the couch. It’s all amazingly coordinated and he’s stunned that Shadow did it all on his own. 

“Speaking of which,” Rouge picks up her spatula. “You wanted to talk about him, right Blue?” 

Sonic comes back into reality long enough to nod at her question, finally relaxing and joining her at the island. “Thanks for taking the time out. I know you guys work a lot.” 

“Don’t sweat it, hun. I know how confusing Shadow can be.” She kicks out one of the stools by the island and reaches for the mortar and pestle farther down the counter. “Now here,” She says, pushing it towards him. “Why don’t you take a seat and be my sous chef while you tell me what’s going on between you two?” 

Sonic’s not sure he’s fit for the job, but he obliges anyway. He sits down near the island and drags the kitchenware closer to himself, Listening carefully when Rouge instructs him to muddle a few pints of blueberries for her. She’s cooking salmon, so he’s not quite sure where she’s going with this, but decides that her judgment is probably better than his. 

He spends a while giving his full side of events. How he’d chased Shadow through Hexaco Park,  how he’d ran into Shadow in the locker room a few times and nearly had a panic attack at the sight of Shadow’s bare chest, the  _ party.  _

Sonic realizes that now, this all sort of stings to talk about. He’s not normally faced with such blatant rejection from people, romantic or platonic. As shallow as it sounds, the feeling is just...

Odd. 

Rouge nods as she cooks and listens simultaneously, chiming in here and there with her own two cents or commentary on Shadow’s behavior. She flips the salmon over in the pan and hands a few shallots to Sonic, grabbing a knife from their counter.

“Here, be a doll and chop these for me.” 

Sonic’s apprehensive given his last run-in with sharp objects, but listens regardless. Rouge has to show him how to properly peel a shallot, (or mini, shitty onions, in Sonic’s words), and monitors carefully out of the corner of her eye. 

“I wanna ask Shadow on a date.” He says, rubbing his watering eye with the back of his hand. “But it feels like every time I get him to open up a bit, he shoots right back to square one without a second thought.” 

“Mhmm.” Rouge hums. “And he says he’s too busy for a romantic life right now?” 

Sonic nods. “Basically.” 

She turns the heat off on the stove and transfers the pan to a separate burner, placing a small plot where it once stood. She pulls the chopped fruit and vegetables away from Sonic to slide them into the pan, their aroma fuming up upon contact. 

“So here’s what I think.” She starts, stirring gently. “I do believe Shadow is genuinely interested in you.”

“Oh thank Chaos.” Sonic breathes a sigh of relief. “For a while, I thought you were gonna tell me that I was just a lovesick puppy and to get over it already.” 

“Of course not, darling,” Rouge replies. “Quite the opposite. I think he’s interested in you to the point where he’s spooked by this new crop of feelings he’s experiencing.” 

Sonic furrows his brows. “What do you mean?” 

“Okay, so,” She starts. “Having known Shadow for as long as I have, I can tell when he’s truly indifferent to something versus when he’s just confused.” 

“You think it’s the last thing?” 

“Very much so, yes.” She sprinkles a few miscellaneous seasonings into the pan. “He hasn’t had anyone be this interested in him in a long time.” She admits. “Or at least not someone who’s this persistent about it.” 

Sonic chuckles nervously and sips at the water she’d poured him. “What can I say? My parents raised me not to be a quitter.” 

“And that’s a wonderful quality to have.” Rouge smiles. “But I do think it’s perplexed him in a way that he doesn’t quite know how to deal with.” She says. “There’s a reason why Shadow is the way that he is, Sonic. I won’t go into full detail because it’s not my business to tell, but just know he’s had a difficult life.”

“I think Knuckles might’ve told me some,” Sonic says. “Didn’t his sister pass away?” 

Rouge nods with pursed lips, pouring a bit more water into her pan. “Six years ago.” She answers. “Shadow still blames himself for it even after hundreds of hours of therapy.” 

Sonic’s eyes fall to the table. “Damn.” 

“Mhmm.” 

“...I know you said you wouldn’t air out all his dirty laundry, but,” Sonic looks up. “Can I ask you something?” 

Rouge hesitates, but nods. “Go ahead.” 

“How did she die?”

Rouge looks up from the pot with a solemn look in her eye. She reaches down to turn the burner down, slowing the circles of her spoon. “They were in a car accident.” 

Sonic feels his chest pang. “Really?” 

“Yes.” She replies. “Shadow made it out with a dislocated shoulder and concussion but Maria---his sister, got hit dead on.” 

“Shit.” Sonic feels like he’s overspent his welcome in Shadow’s past. He anxiously chugs the last of his water and sighs shakily, looking back up at Rouge. “I’m really sorry to hear that. It sounds like it was awful to go through.”

“It was really hard on him for a few years but, it’s like I told Knuckles,” A somber smile forms on her face. “He’s doing a lot better now, and I think it’s going to stay that way.” 

“That’s good to hear.” Sonic says, eyeing the pot on the stove. “I’m sorry. None of this really has anything to do with me wanting to date Shadow. I shouldn’t have pried.” 

“Don’t be sorry, hun.” Rouge says. “It explains why he is the way he is, so it’s still relevant.” 

Sonic shrugs. “I guess that’s true.” 

Rouge wafts her hand over the pot and reaches to turn off the burner once she’s satisfied with her cooking. She asks Sonic to grab a few plates from the cabinet beneath the island and he follows suit like a chef’s assistant. The salmon slides onto the plate and glistens with the topping in a way that almost makes it seem appetizing to Sonic, even though he’s wary of the combination of fruit and fish.

“Did you want some, Blue?” Rouge offers, plating herself a bit. “This piece of salmon that Shadow got me is way too big for one person.” 

“Uhhh...” Sonic trails off, but he’s curious to say the least. “You know what? Sure. Why not?” 

Rouge hands him a plate and Sonic’s hesitant to bring the forkful in his hand to his mouth. He’s pleasantly surprised however when the flavor isn’t anywhere near as pungent as he’d expected. It’s actually quite good, even with the shitty mini onions. 

“Wow,” He says around a mouthful. “I never expected salmon and blueberries to be a good pair but, holy crap Rouge. This is delicious.” He swallows. “You’re a really good cook.” 

 “You’re too kind, hun.” Rouge smiles and takes a seat perpendicular to him. “Now, let’s get back to the matter at hand.” 

Sonic cuts his food with his fork. “Right. Stuffy McCrankypants.” 

She giggles at that, rolling her eyes. “You’re not wrong.” She admits. “In my honest opinion, I think that maybe the best thing to do would be to try again.” 

A confused look spreads across his face. “Try again?” 

“ _ But, _ ” Rouge emphasizes. “Don’t make it sound like a date. Try and just convince him to hang out casually.” She gestures to their living room. “Maybe even do it here. That way he doesn’t feel too pressured by social convention.” 

Sonic swallows the bite of food of his mouth and considers what she’s said. It seems incredibly simple, but hearing the idea come from her makes far more sense than his former idea of just waiting it out. He meets her eyes again, nodding with a small, newfound confidence. 

“Yeah. I think I can do that.” He says. “Halloween’s next week. Maybe I can coax him into a movie night or something.” 

“I don’t think he’d be too opposed to that,” Rouge smirks. “He is a sucker for a good psychological thriller.”

He snaps at her, smiling wide. “That’s  _ super  _ great to know. Thank you.” 

“Not a problem, love.” She dabs at her running lipstick with a stray napkin. “Alright, now that we’ve talked about  _ your  _ boy problems, let's focus a little bit on mine.” 

Sonic goes wide eyed. He’s not at all sure what Rouge is about to say, but stays quiet anyway. 

“So, Knuckles...” Rouge starts, a defeated look forming on her face. “There’s something you should probably know.” 

Sonic nearly chokes in his food when Rouge tells him about their one night stand. He throws back another glass of water like he hasn’t had anything to drink in years and listens as if his life depends on it. He doesn’t know why he didn’t see this coming. But then again, Knuckles has been awfully reserved for the past week or so. He’d just chalked it up to school and work stressing him out, not really thinking anything of it. 

“This is  _ wild. _ ” Sonic’s elbows dig into the marble as he holds his temples. “You really just--” He gestures wildly to the couch behind him. “In  _ here?”  _

“In the bedroom actually, but you get the idea.” 

Sonic snorts from laughter, trying his best to stifle it. “Chaos.” 

“Mhmm.” Rouge nods, leaning onto her elbow. “When he was leaving, he said something strange.” 

He raises a brow. “Oh?” 

“He said that he ‘couldn’t do this right now’ and that ‘everything was a mistake’.” She replies. “You have any idea what ‘this’ might be referring to?” 

Sonic purses his lips at that. He’s got a very decent idea of what he’d meant by that, but feels an air of disappointment in his chest thinking about it. His hands fall back down to the island and he clears his throat.

 “About a year and a half ago, Knuckles’ ex-girlfriend dumped him out of nowhere.” He begins. “She wanted to drop out and join the air force but Knuckles wasn’t...too keen on the idea.”

Rouge hums quietly, muttering a low ‘ah’ under her breath. “And I’m guessing that break-up was messy?” 

“Very.” Sonic replies, wincing. “She did it over the phone.” 

Rouge winces back. “Oh Chaos.”

“I know.” He grits. “Turns out she’d already decided not to come back to school after winter break and...didn’t plan on telling him in person.” He turns to her. “I’m not trying to justify what he did, by the way. I’m just saying--”

“You’re fine, Blue.” Rouge diffuses. “I appreciate knowing. This sounds a lot more complicated than I first thought it was.” 

 “It was.” Sonic continues. “ They dated for a while before that. Everyone thought they were gonna be high school sweethearts.” He laughs dryly. “But clearly that’s not what happened.” 

“I assume he’s not over her?” 

Sonic twists his mouth to one side. “Eh. It’s....tough to say.” He starts. “I think he is, but he isn’t.”

Rouge frowns. “Can you elaborate?” 

“Knuckles is a very sensitive guy,” Sonic says. “I know it may not seem like it, but he’s got a huge soft side. It kind of wrecked him when Julie-Su called it quits. He really loved her.” 

It isn’t what Rouge wants to hear, but she’d had a feeling that this was along the lines of what was actually going on. She sighs heavily, bringing her hand to her forehead. “Of course. I don’t know why I’m surprised.” 

“I don’t think you should give up, though.” Sonic reaches out to place a hand on her shoulder, looking at her tenderly. “You do wanna start seeing him, right?” 

Rouge nods, and Sonic continues. 

“How about this, I’ll talk to him.” 

She goes red. “You don’t have to do that for me, Sonic.” 

“No, no, it’s no trouble.” He assures her. “I’ve heard him talk about you in passing and I think he really does like you.” He says. “He just needs some help to stop sabotaging himself, and that’s where I come in.” 

As mentally tired as she is, Rouge still finds the strength to give a small smile. “I’d appreciate the help, Blue. Thank you.” 

“Don’t sweat it.” He smiles. “Seems like we’ve kinda got each other’s backs, huh?”

A small chuckle escapes her as she returns the gesture. “I suppose so.” 

* * *

  
“Oh my  _ God.”  _

“I know.” 

“Sonic--what-- _ how--”  _

“I don’t  _ know!”  _

“I--” 

Amy feels a laugh creeping up in her throat and isn’t able to stop it when it escapes. Her hand covers her mouth as she cackles, trying her hardest to keep her eyes on the camera. 

“How did you manage to screw up this badly, Sonic?” 

The hedgehog lets his head fall on his desk, a frustrated groan echoing against the wood. “You used to dye your quills all the time! I guess I just thought it couldn’t really be that hard.” 

“Chaos.” Amy finally collects herself and sits back in her seat, her hand reaching to undo her seatbelt. “What exactly is it that you  _ did  _ Sonic? What in the world were you trying to achieve?” 

“You know how Charlie the Doll has red fur?” Sonic asks. He’s simultaneously looking back and forth from his phone to the mirror, wincing every time he catches a glimpse of himself. 

She nods. “Yes, I do.” 

“Well, I really wanted to make this costume look good and those Halloween wigs look super bad anyway.” He continues. “So my half-awake brain woke up this morning thought it would be a good idea to  _ dye  _ my quills red.” 

“So let me get this straight.” Amy reaches to turn off the heat in her car. “You just went out and bought it, thinking nothing would happen when you put  _ red  _ dye over you  _ blue  _ quills?” 

“I don’t know, Ames! I thought so!” Sonic slumps back in his computer chair as he stares at his reflection, whining as he reaches towards his head. “My quills are fucking  _ purple _ .  _ PURPLE!”  _

“What are you yelling at me for?! You did this to yourself!” 

“I know I did but,” Sonic groans. “Can you please just come help me fix this?” 

Amy shakes her head and ties her scarf tighter around her neck, a foggy breath escaping her lips. “I can’t, Sonic. I’m still getting my costume together for tonight.” She says. “And I’m picking Tails before you because he doesn’t have a ride to the party. I think you’re own your own with this one.” 

That isn’t the answer Sonic wants to hear. His desk looks like a disaster area. It’s splattered with remnants of red dye because he’d been too lazy to do this in his bathroom last night. All he can do is stare back at his own reflection, desperately wishing he could go back in time a few hours to stop himself from making the stupidest decision he’s made in a while. 

“I _ cannot  _ go to Ray’s looking like this.” He looks back at the camera. “Please tell me there’s something I can do in the next half hour to make this look less awful.”

“Half hour?” Amy squints. “It’s four thirty. The party’s not until nine.” 

“I was planning to go hang out with Shadow beforehand.” 

She furrows her brows. “I thought he turned you down?” 

“He did, but that doesn’t mean we can’t hang out as friends.” Sonic scowls. “Don’t look at me like that.” 

“I didn’t say anything.” Amy reaches to unlock her door. “You two made plans?” 

“Nope.” Sonic replies. “I was just gonna go down there and bully him into watching a movie with me.” 

She rolls her eyes, blinking lazily at the camera. “Courtship at its finest.” 

“Gotta start somewhere, right?” 

“I guess.” She narrows her eyes. “Alright, since I care about you, I’ll try my best over the phone.” She starts. “Here’s what you should do.” 

* * *

Shadow’s beyond confused when he hears a knock at his door. 

Rouge had gone out earlier with one of her work friends for Halloween event at a local club, and he’d expected her to be gone at least until later on into the night. He certainly didn’t order anything to eat, and he hasn’t had guests over to see him in months. 

He places his novel face down on the coffee table, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows as he walks over towards the door. He closes one eye and peers through the peephole, grimacing once he sees who’s on the other side of it. 

Shadow pulls back. Initially, he considers ignoring him. However, the moment Sonic starts banging on his door incessantly, he knows he won’t get any peace until he at least acknowledges him. Shadow removes the chain lock and twists the knob begrudgingly, a wave of bewilderment washing over him as he fully witnesses Sonic’s attire. 

“Hey! What’s up, Shads?” 

Shadow blinks. “Why are you dressed like that?” 

Sonic looks down at himself, clearly forgetting the answer himself for a moment. 

“Cause it’s Halloween, genius. Duh!” He replies. “I’m Charlie! Get it? Striped sweater, overalls?” 

Shadow’s eyes are narrowed and his mouth is slightly open, almost as if he’s trying his hardest to understand what Sonic’s referring to.

“From the movies? Y’know? Charlie?” Sonic tries again. “The doll?” 

Shadow closes his mouth, folding his arms across his chest as looks Sonic up and down once more. “Never seen it.” 

“ _ Really? _ ” He’s actually shocked. “I thought everyone had seen it by now. Huh. Weird.” He looks up. “We should change that.” 

Shadow feels like he’s spent more time standing in his doorway than this conversation warrants. He lets out a tired sigh, rubbing his temple as he speaks. “Is there something that you need from me, Sonic?” 

“I’m glad that you asked!” Sonic says with enthusiasm. “I’m headed to a costume party later on tonight, but I’ve got a little free time beforehand.” He says. “I wanted to know if you’d be down for a little, I dunno, mini-movie night kinda thing?” 

Shadow purses his lips. Chaos, this kid was adamant. He doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t have plans later, nothing other than to finish his book before the night was over. Truth be told, Shadow wasn’t incredibly fond of Halloween. He hated candy for one, and the idea of a holiday that gives adults an excuse to dress up and act inanely isn’t exactly up his alley. 

“I don’t know about that.” He replies. “I was in the middle of something.” 

Sonic frowns. “Oh come on, it can’t wait a few hours?” 

“...It  _ could,  _ theoretically, but--” 

“Then why not? Shads, listen,” Sonic steps a bit closer, trying his best not to give Shadow the opportunity to close the door. “I know things are kinda weird between us, but I'm still determined to get to know you.” He says. “Just because you’re work life so busy doesn’t mean you can’t have friends. Can’t we just, y’know, hang out?” 

Shadow doesn’t want to say yes. He wants to politely give Sonic a dry “no” and close the door in his face. He wants to pretend as if he’d never answered the door in the first place and kept reading his book. The desperate look in Sonic’s eyes is giving him trouble, however. The stupid makeup isn’t helping either. He’s got fake freckles drawn all over his cheeks against a backdrop of bright red blush. He looks like a sad, sad, children’s toy and it’s clouding Shadow’s better judgment. 

He sighs and rubs his temple a bit harder, closing his eyes as he replies. “....I suppose.” 

Sonic has to contain himself as his smile spreads from ear to ear. “Awesome!” 

He nearly bolts inside the moment Shadow steps out of the doorway. His attention immediately goes to the kitchen as he begins his course of action, kicking his shoes off as he walks over to the island. Shadow watches with narrowed eyes as Sonic takes his own liberties in his kitchen; he pushes one of the stools up against their granite counters and climbs onto it, rummaging through his cabinets as if it’s his own home. 

Shadow blinks in disbelief. “Can I help you find something?”

Sonic shakes his head as he steps down, a black ceramic bowl in hand. “Nope, I found what I was looking for.” 

The hedgehog makes his way over to their living room, shirking off his backpack as he sinks into the cushions of the couch. “Oh my  _ God. _ ” He spreads like a starfish. “This is so comfy. Holy crap.” 

“Of course it is, make yourself at home.” There’s a hint of sarcasm in his voice but it obviously falls on deaf ears. Shadow rolls his eyes and begins over towards him, pushing aside one of the throw pillows as he takes a seat. 

Sonic stops lounging long enough to pull his backpack towards him, the contents of which are dumped onto the rug below. He fishes around in them long enough to spread some into the bowl he’s oh so happily taken from the cabinets.

“I thought some snacks might help to pass the time.” Sonic places the bowl back on the table. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I just went with my gut.” He smiles. “Hope that’s okay.” 

Sonic reaches for the television remote as Shadow eyes the contents of the bowl. At first, he thinks there’s nothing of interest in it to him. A closer look, however, catches his eye on something wrapped in a familiar green foil. 

“I thought you might like those.” Sonic looks out of the corner of his eye as he fumbles through a menu on the T.V. “I hate them, dark chocolate’s way too bitter for me. But I know you don’t really like sweet stuff.” 

Shadow looks him up and down before reaching for a piece, chuckling under his breath as he unwraps it. “How observant of you.” He pops it in his mouth. “Well played.” 

Sonic almost feels his heart flutter. He’s playing everything off as if he’s nonchalant about it, when in reality every step Sonic has taken so far has been  _ incredibly  _ calculated. He’s determined not to fuck up tonight, and he may or may not have stayed awake in bed until the morning hours thinking about how to impress him. 

It takes Sonic three years to figure out how to work Shadow and Rouge’s T.V. It’s modern and the menus are needlessly confusing. Once he finds what he’s looking for, however, breathes a sigh of relief. 

“Cool, you guys have MetroFlix.” Sonic says. “There’s a shit ton of good horror movies on here. Got any favorites?” 

Shadow shakes his head, slumping back onto his couch. “Not particularly.” 

Sonic tries his best to hide his frown, but decides to go with his backup plan instead. “That’s cool. I’ll try and pick something we’ll both dig.” 

It takes him two seconds because he’s already memorized the location of the movie within the menu bar. He remembers the advice that Rouge gave him during their talk and puts on something he’s actually not super enthused to watch. It involves a lot of mind games from what he made out from the reviews. He feels, however, that those mental gymnastics might fall a bit short on him halfway through. 

It’s silent after Sonic puts on the movie. The quiet is only occasionally interrupted by the sound of Sonic loudly crunching on the corn chips he’d brought a long and Shadow glaring at him because of it. He settles into the couch, scratching his neck around the parts that the costume sweater is itching. His general nervousness isn’t helping, either. Sonic’s sweating through the wool and prays to Chaos that Shadow doesn’t notice his pit stains. 

Surprisingly enough, Sonic doesn’t find the plot that hard to follow. It’s complex, but not confusing to the point where he’d resort to his phone to keep him occupied. It has far more jumpscares than he’d anticipated as well. He jolts back on the couch a few times and nearly kicks Shadow one of those times, narrowly avoiding a heated glare in response. 

Shadow seems enthralled by it. He’s been silent most of the movie, primarily because of his determination to predict the plot before it unfolds. It’s only when he sees Sonic scratch at his head out of the corner of his eye that he glances over. 

He’s wearing a bright read beanie, which confuses Shadow not only because it doesn’t match the rest of the costume, but he’s certain he’s seen the echidna wear that hat in passing. Maybe they did share clothes, but if Shadow had to guess, he’d say that wasn’t the case.

 He narrows his eyes and concentrates a bit closer, finally pinpointing what it was that caught his attention. 

“....Correct me if I’m wrong,” 

Shadow’s voice nearly makes Sonic jump out of his skin. The bag of chips jolts as a few fall out onto the carpet, and he looks apologetically back at the striped hedgehog. Shadow’s eyes widen; It’s even more apparent now, the sudden movement had pushed the hat back even further and now he’s certain of his hypothesis. 

He meets Sonic’s gaze. “You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

Sonic pales, chuckling nervously. “What do you mean?” 

“I know I said before that I haven’t seen Charlie, ” Shadow cocks his head. “However, I’m almost certain that he doesn’t wear a hat.” 

Sonic’s hands inadvertently crush the half eaten bag of chips. An apprehensive grin spreads across his cheeks as he groans through his teeth. 

“Do you have to be this perceptive all the time?” 

Shadow scoffs, folding his arms. “I work undercover for a living. It’s more or less what I’m paid to do.” 

Sonic looks down, closing his eyes. “Okay, I fucked up, alright? You caught me.” 

“Whatever it is can't possibly be that bad.” Shadow raises an eyebrow. “It’s Halloween after all. It’s not as if there aren’t crazier things running around at this time of night.” 

“I....” Sonic presses his lips into a thin, discontent line before he finally sighs, reaching up to grip the hat. “Shadow, if I show you this, you have to promise not to laugh.” 

“Why would I--” 

“Promise me!” 

He rolls his eyes. “Fine, whatever. I promise.” 

With a bit of hesitance, Sonic gives a small nod and pulls the hat off. Shadow’s eyes blow to the size of dinner plates and any semblance of reservation in his face is gone. He looks completely and utterly shocked in the worst way possible. 

“I can explain.” Sonic starts, looking away bashfully. “I wanted to make this costume better, so I put a red rinse in my quills. But it didn’t work right, obviously. And--” 

He’s cut off by what sounds like muffled snickering coming from the opposite side of the couch. Sonic’s eyes dart back over and he’s faced with something he’s never seen before. 

Shadow’s muzzle is flushed red and his hands cover his mouth; he’s snorting through his nose as if he’s trying his hardest not to let a laugh escape. It fails, however, the moment Sonic opens his mouth. 

“Oh my  _ god--”  _ Shadow throws his head back and cackles into the air. “You---you look so fucking  _ stupid! _ ” 

Normally, that probably would’ve hurt his feelings, but he’s so entranced by Shadow’s hysterics that it barely phases him. Shadow slams a hand down on the arm of the chair when he catches another glimpse of Sonic’s purple quills, a mixture of coughs and laughs straining out of his mouth as he wipes away a tear.

That does it for Sonic. Before he knows it, he’s laughing too. He didn’t even think Shadow was capable anything other than small chuckles, let alone practically laughing himself into an asthma attack. 

“I guess I do look pretty dumb, don’t I?” Sonic regains his composure and slide his beanie back on, pulling it taut over his quills. “I really should’ve known that red dye would turn mine purple.” 

“Chaos,” Shadow takes a few deep breaths as he settles down. “I should’ve never asked. Now I feel like I might have a hernia.” 

Sonic sputters at that, snickering through his teeth. “You’re actually pretty funny, Shads. You know that?” 

He looks over at Sonic again, smirking as he does. “That would be a new one. But it’s kind of you to say.” 

Sonic realizes that he’d never even paused the movie, and spends the next five minutes attempting to scrub back where they’d left off.  An air of calm falls back over the room as the film continues on. Sonic feels far less nervous than he had when he’d first walked in. If anything, he’s bold enough to say that Shadow’s grown comfortable with him. After all, he had watched Shadow’s body language shift from closed off to his arm resting across the back of the chair. Sonic only wishes he’d scoot a few feet closer, it’d probably be nice to rest his head on his shoulder. 

He snaps out of his fantasy and focuses back on the T.V. that’s not what he’s here for, and he needs to remember that. 

* * *

It had ended up being two hours long in total, and after, Sonic feels as if he needs a nap. He’d been engaged until about halfway through, at that point, the movie had gotten  _ incredibly  _ science heavy and he found himself having trouble keeping track. He’d pushed through it, however, catching small glimpses of Shadow’s captivated expression as it went on. 

Sonic stretches his arms above his head as the credits roll across the screen, yawning as he looks over at Shadow. 

“Pretty neat, huh?” 

He looks as if he’s taking a moment to gather his thoughts, but eventually he replies with a nod. “Quite. More so than I expected.” 

“I could tell.” Sonic replies. “You looked like you were hypnotized half the time.” 

Shadow raises an eyebrow, sitting back against the couch. “Seems as if you spent more time watching me than the movie.” 

Sonic smiles awkwardly. “Well. I guess I got a little lost around the hour mark.” 

“You don’t say?” 

The look Shadow gives him nearly makes him blush. He’s been replaying what Shadow had said to him in the gym last week over and over in his head, but the way he’s behaving now sure doesn’t correlate with someone who isn’t interested. 

“...Can I use your bathroom?” It’s a drop ditch excuse to get him away from Shadow’s intense gaze, but an easy way out. “I’ll be quick. I’m pretty sure it’s just all that soda I drank.” 

Shadow waves him off dismissively, picking up his phone from the coffee table as he leans against the arm of the chair. “You know where it is, I presume.” 

Sonic flashes a thumbs up as he climbs to his feet, stretching the muscles in his back and legs as he exits the living room. His socked feet pad against the carpet as he rounds the corner, flicking on the light in their hall bathroom as he steps inside. The moment his foot hits the tile, he blinks, narrowing his eyes at the air. 

That couldn’t have been right; Sonic thinks. He takes a step and a half back out of the door and turns his head to the left, squinting in an attempt to see what he thought he had before. 

Sonic nearly gasps when he sees it through the small crack in Shadow’s door, but he holds his composure enough to swallow it before it leaves his mouth. 

_ Oh, Shadow. You shouldn’t have. _

He uses the bathroom quicker than he’s ever done in his life and bounds back to the living room, his body leaning on the edge of the wall as he stares at the back of Shadow’s head. 

“I never pegged you as the type to be afraid of the dark.” 

It’s as if Shadow turns to stone. His head darts up immediately, whipping around with almost mortified look in on his face. He sees Sonic slouched against the wall with his arms folded across his chest, giving him the most shit-eating grin he’s ever seen. 

Shadow blinks and clears his throat. “Where the hell would you get an idea like that?” 

Sonic scoffs. “From the nightlight I can clearly see plugged into your wall.” 

It’s at that moment that Shadow knows he’s been found out. His defensive expression fades into one of embarrassment as he looks away, shrinking down into the couch. 

“Sonic, I promise you that if I hear even a  _ single _ wisecrack from you, you’ll regret it.” 

Sonic makes his way back over to the couch, leaning over the back as he hangs near Shadow’s reddening face. “Dude. I’m not gonna make fun of you.” He says. “That would be super shitty of me. We all have things we’re afraid of.” 

“I don’t want to hear it.” 

“Shadow.” He reaches around to place a hand on his shoulder, earning a flinch in response. “Shads,  _ come on.  _ Look at me.” 

“No..” 

“Shadow!” Sonic vaults himself over the back of the chair, flopping down next to him with a soft thump. Shadow looks at him incredulously, his brows twisted in unease. “Seriously, dude. I’m not judging you at all.” He tells him. “Listen, I’m terrified of water.”

Shadow blinks, perplexed. “ _ Water?”  _

“Yes, water.” He repeats. “Primarily the ocean, but I still won’t go anywhere near a swimming pool either.” Sonic’s face softens as he lets out a chuckle. “Remember that time I told you I almost drowned at Emerald Coast?” Shadow nods. “Well, it was true, and it traumatized me pretty bad.” 

Shadow looks as if he’s relaxing a bit, so Sonic goes on. 

“I swallowed a bunch of seawater and they had to give me CPR on the shoreline.” He says. “I may have been pretty young, but dude, I almost  _ died.  _ It fucked me up.” Sonic laughs. “Hell will freeze over before you catch me anywhere near a body of water.”

“A near-death experience doesn’t sound like an outlandish reason to fear something,” Shadow replies, exhaling irritably. “My fear is--” 

“Shads, you don’t need to tell me.” He cuts him off with a finger. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that it’s okay to be an adult and be scared of certain things. Especially when I’m in the exact same boat as you.”

Sonic finally sees the red in Shadow’s muzzle starting to dissipate and takes a breath of relief. He places a reassuring hand on his shoulder and gives a warm smile, eyes tender as he speaks. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to hide anything around me.” 

Shadow returns his gaze and blinks a few times before looking down, fidgeting with his gloves in his lap. “Thanks, Sonic.” 

“No problem.” He reaches for the remote. “I’ve still got another two hours to kill. Why don’t we pick something else to watch?” 

Shadow pauses, but eventually gives a slow nod. “Sure. That sounds....good.” 

Sonic grins. “Great.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised there'd be some end to the drama soon, and it's coming. Slowly, but surely lol.
> 
> Let me know what you folks think! See you next update.


	10. Pavlova

Knuckles is jolted awake by the blaring sound of their smoke alarm going off.

He turns over in his bed and blinks furiously, looking around the expanse of his room for the source. The moment he hears a barrage of footsteps dart past his bedroom door he sits up in bed, deadpanning as it’s accompanied by the sound of Sonic yelling in frustration.

Knuckles reluctantly climbs to his feet, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he starts into the common area. He’s immediately met with the offensive scent of smoke swirling around the living room, the source of which apparently being the kitchen. He sees Sonic scramble over to the oven clad in two layers of oven mitts and throws it open, hacking at the plume of black that billows out.

“Shit, shit, shit!” He drops a glass pan on the stovetop and waves his hands to dissipate the smog. “Ughhhh, come on!”

The ring of the alarm is still blaring through their apartment; Knuckles takes it upon himself to tug his shirt over his head and stand under it, fanning until the noise settles down.

He looks over towards the kitchen. “Dude, what the fuck happened?”

Sonic pulls off the mitts and tosses them down in frustration, staring at the charred pan in front of him. “I fucked up is what happened.”

Knuckles tosses his shirt onto the couch and walks up behind him, wincing as he sees what Sonic’s referring to. “What the hell is that?”

“It was supposed to be a tuna casserole.” He says, groaning. “My mom gave me the recipe, but I think I fucked it up.”

“First of all, hot tuna sounds gross.” Knuckles leans back against the counter. “Second of all, you didn’t set a timer? How long was it even in there?”

“Only like ten minutes!” Sonic exclaims, huffing as he puts his hands on his hips. “I don’t know what happened. I was just chilling playing CTA and all of a sudden I smelled smoke.”

Knuckles eyes scan the surrounding area for clues until they stop on the oven clock, his eyes going wide in bewilderment, “You set the oven to _five hundred_ degrees?”

“...Yeah?” Sonic gives a nervous look. “I wanted to have the kitchen clean before you came in here to start cooking, so I thought turning the temperature up would make it go faster.”

Knuckles presses his lips together and closes his eyes, trying his best not to say something that’ll most likely hurt Sonic’s feelings. He brings his fingertips together and sighs heavily, speaking with as much patience as he can muster.

“Why don’t we just stick to the plan and let me handle the cooking for tonight?”

Sonic looks down at his charred casserole, poking at the top layer with a stray fork. “I mean, I guess. I just wanted to contribute something, y’know? You and Amy are working so hard to make sure this Friendsgiving thing goes off without a hitch.”

“And it will, chill out.” Knuckles tells him. “Don’t worry about food. Amy and I already talked about everything.”

“But _Knuuuux._ ” Sonic whines and tugs on his arm. “I wanna _heeelp.”_

“Then stop cooking things.” He shakes him off. “You keep burning shit.”

“...I set the stove on fire _one_ time and—“

“You know what? Why don’t we do this.” Knuckles starts. “We can go to the bakery on fourth street real quick and pick up a cake or something so I don’t have to listen to you whine all day.”

Sonic perks up at that. The pout on his face dissolves into a wide grin and he leans forward. “Cool! Then Amy can’t say I didn’t help with anything!” He says. “Just gimme a sec to put on my shoes and we’ll zip right over.”

Knuckles rolls his eyes as he sees Sonic dart back into his bedroom, glancing back at the charred pan on the stove. He should’ve figured as much would happen when he’d seen him come in with a bag of groceries for some unknown reason last night. Sonic rarely cooked, and because of that, typically he had little to no idea of what he was doing in the kitchen.

The scent of burnt tuna is honestly making him nauseous, so he takes it upon himself to grab a random utensil from the drawer and start banging it into the garbage disposal. It looks just as disgusting underneath the char as it smells, and Knuckles has to look away to stop himself from gagging. Right on the edge of his vision, however, his eyes gatch the glint of Sonic’s phone lighting up. He knows that he should probably just mind his own business, but there’s one thing specifically that catches his attention.

 With narrowed eyes, he sets down the pan in the sink and shakes the water off his hands. He nonchalantly slides the phone towards himself and scans over the screen as it lights up again.

 

_Rouge: “You’re in luck, Bluebell. Convinced Shadow to make an appearance with me tonight. What time is dinner again?”_

Knuckles feels his chest tighten upon reading the message. He takes a step back from the counter, blinking and looking around as if the explanation is hidden somewhere on the walls. He hadn’t spoken to her in close to a month. It’s from a culmination of both hecticness in his life and shame from that night, and he hadn’t planned on resolving it anytime soon either.

Fast footsteps come pattering back into the kitchen and Sonic appears next to him, pulling his windbreaker over his shoulders.

“I don’t need to put on real pants, right?” He asks, zipping it up. “We’re just running out for a second. No one’s gonna care.”

Knuckles doesn’t reply. Sonic’s face sinks into one of worry as he looks up at him, his eyes gleaming with anger.

“Why would you invite Shadow and Rouge?”

It comes out more as a statement than a question, and Sonic pales at the malice in his voice.

“...Because they’re our friends?” He replies unsurely. “It’s a ‘friendsgiving’ dinner. Why wouldn’t I invite them?”

Knuckles looks away from Sonic. He knows that if he keeps looking at his stupid expression, he’ll end up getting the urge to punch him square in the face. He takes in a deep breath and releases it with a groan, throwing his hands up in frustration as he paces.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me before you did this?!” He yells, gesturing widely. “You don’t think I would’ve appreciated some say?”

Sonic looks at him incredulously, his face twisted in confusion. “What are you even talking about?” He asks. “I don’t understand why you’re freaking out. Why is it even a big deal?”

Knuckles presses his lips together and closes his eyes, brushing past Sonic roughly as he starts across the living room. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

It hits him like a brick when he realizes it, but Sonic feels stupid that he didn’t think about it before.

 _Rouge._ He’d completely forgotten about the conversation they’d had last month. Admittedly, his life had picked up ridiculously during November. With the combination of midterms and training for the state track relay coming up, it hadn’t been the first thing that had slipped his mind in the passing weeks.

He turns around before Knuckles can cross into the hallway and glowers at him, arms folded across his chest.

“Are you really gonna throw a fit because you had a one night stand with Rouge and regretted it?” He asks. “Seriously, Knuckles. Grow the fuck up.”

The echidna stops dead in his tracks and turns around wide-eyed, blinking before responding. “How the fuck do you know about that?”

“Hmm, I wonder.” Sonic cocks his head. “Oh wait, Rouge told me because we’re _friends_ and what you did was fucking _shitty.”_

Sonic can see the fury welling up in Knuckles’ eyes and has to swallow the urge to back down. His fists clench at his sides and he storms closer, towering over Sonic as he looks down at him.

“And just what the _fuck_ makes you think that you’ve got the right to judge me?”

“Because it was a _dick move,_ Knuckles. _”_ Sonic juts his head out. “You didn’t even tell her _why_ you bailed. Do you know how hurt she sounded when I talked to her?” He asks. “You at least owe her some sort of explanation.”

Knuckles growls at that, baring his canines. “I don’t owe anyone shit.”

Sonic lets out a judging snort and smiles through his annoyance. “Are you kidding me? _That’s_ your defense?” He asks. “Chaos, you’re such a fucking asshole sometimes! Stop being so hard-headed for once and just talk about your fucking feelings!”

“How about you mind your damn business, Sonic.” Knuckles shouts back. “This has _nothing_ to do with you!” 

“It doesn’t matter if it does! The point is Rouge is an incredible person and you’re pushing her away because you can’t get over someone who got over you _months_ ago!”

It’s a low blow. Sonic feels a bit of pain in his chest when he sees Knuckles’ reaction, but it needs to be said. Suddenly, he stumbles back when Knuckles aggressively shoves his shoulders, bucking forward with a searing glare.

“Fuck you!” He roars. “ You have no idea what our relationship was like!”

Sonic catches himself before he falls and growls back, gritting his teeth. “You’re right, I don’t.” He admits. “But I know both you and Julie-Su well enough to know that you’re both better off without each other. You can’t just sit around and wait for her to take you back, Knuckles!” He lours at him. “You and I both know that’s not gonna happen.”

It’s at that moment that Sonic knows he’s struck a nerve. Knuckles goes wide-eyed and lets out a furious snarl, snatching the nearest dish to him from the kitchen counter. A glass goes flying at the wall behind Sonic and misses his quills by a hair, crashing into hundreds of shards on impact.

“How _fucking_ dare you!” He screams. “We dated for three years, Sonic! Three _fucking years_! Do you have any idea how much someone becomes a part of you by that point?!”

Sonic, still shaken from his brush with glass to the face, swallows and stays quiet. Knuckles has obviously snapped and he hasn’t seen him this angry in a _very_ long time.

“I _loved_ her. We were in fucking _love_ with each other!” He almost sounds as if he’s trying to mask the pain in his voice. “Our break up fucking _broke_ me, Sonic. I’ve never cried that much over someone in my goddamn life! Do you know how hard it is to figure out who the fuck you are again after something like that?!”

Sonic doesn’t know what to say. He can tell that through all the anger and screaming, Knuckles is holding back tears. He stares back with parted lips, his mind devoid of an answer. He’s not given the chance to say anything else, because Knuckles growls and storms over to the couch, pulling his discarded shirt back over his head. He snatches his coat off the arm of their chair and pushes Sonic out of the way, charging over to the door as he steps into his shoes.

“You know what? Fuck this. Fuck you, and fuck this stupid dinner.” He throws open the door. “You can go fuck yourself, Sonic.”

“Knuckles, wait--”

The slam nearly shakes their picture off the wall and Sonic jolts. He braces himself on the counter behind him and blinks at the closed door, staring in disbelief at everything that’s just happened.

“....Shit.”

He wrenches his hands in his quills and yells at the ceiling, not caring whether or not his neighbors hear. He presses his back against the counter as he sinks down to the floor, groaning in frustration as his jeans press against it. This sucked. He told Rouge he’d help her get through to him, but Sonic knows he’s just made things infinitely worse. 

Not knowing what else to do, Sonic feels around on the granite for his phone until it brushes his fingertips. He pulls it down to his lap and quickly dials Amy’s number, praying to Chaos she’s not to busy getting things ready for later tonight.

One ring goes by, and then another. He almost hits the “end call” button right before there’s a click, and Amy’s voice crackles across the line.

“Hello?”

Sonic sits up. “Amy? Hey.”

There’s a bit of rustling in the background and he can only assume she’s multitasking.

“Hey. What’s up?” She asks gently.  “Do you need anything?”

Sonic sighs and pinches the space between his brows. “Do you think you can come over a little early? I think I’m gonna need help getting stuff ready for tonight.”

She pauses. “What? Why? I thought you were helping Knuckles cook.”

“I was, but...” He groans. “We had a fight.”

Amy takes a few seconds before she replies, sighing irritably into the speaker. “ _Sonic._ ” She whines. “Really? You two had to do this tonight of all nights?”

“I’m sorry, okay?” Sonic apologizes. “I know the timing is horrible but...he stormed out of the door without saying where he was going.” He exhales. “I have no idea when or if he’ll be back.”

Amy lets out an annoyed groan as Sonic hears the sound of something glass being set down roughly. “Great. This is just...great.”

“Do you think you can do it? Come over early, I mean.”

“No, Sonic. Tails and I are barely done the appetizers, let alone being closed to finished.” She explains. “I can’t drop what I’m doing and come help you.”

“I get it.” He says, burying his face in his knees. “Could I come to you, then? I don’t know what else to do around here.”

“I mean, sure, but I can’t come pick you up--”

“I’ll find a ride,” Sonic interjects. “Don’t worry. You guys keep going. I’ll see you in about an hour.”

“...Okay then. See you soon.”

“Bye.”

Sonic ends the call and tosses his phone across the wood floor, banging his fist against the cabinet behind him. He knows for a fact that Knuckles doesn’t think straight when he’s this mad and hopes to Chaos that he doesn’t do anything stupid. Begrudgingly, he pulls himself to his feet and picks his phone up from the ground, opening a rideshare app and requesting a car.

Chaos, this was going to be a long day

* * *

 

“You look good, Shadow.”

The hedgehog looks back over his shoulder. A certain bat is standing in his doorway with a smirk so sly it could make anyone swoon.

Shadow looks back towards the mirror with a small “hmph” and adjusts the collar of his sweater. “Thanks.”

“Sure thing.” Rouge pushes off the doorframe and walks over to him, perching her chin on his shoulder as he rolls up his cuffs. “Is that cologne I smell?” She smirks. “Trying to impress someone, hmm?”

“You’re funny,” Shadow says dryly as she backs away.  “I think it’s only courteous that I look presentable.”

She nods. “Fair enough.”

Shadow turns away from the mirror and already knows that Rouge is giving his outfit one last once over before they leave. She purses her lips, eyeing his torso.

“Untuck your shirt.”

He looks down. He’s hesitant but doesn’t argue. He tugs it out of his jeans and smooths it over his hips, looking back up for approval.

“Much better.” She smiles. “Just wear your chukka boots and you’re golden, love.” Rouge turns and starts back over towards the door, looking over her shoulder before she exits. “Let me know when you’re ready, and we’ll head upstairs, alright?”

Shadow gives a small nod and she disappears into the hallway, the smell of her perfume lingering in his room. He looks over his reflection, fidgeting with cuffs of his sweater a bit more. He doesn’t know why he’s so concerned with looking neat. Yesterday, Shadow hadn’t even planned on attending Sonic and Knuckles’ little get together. That was, until Rouge pouted at him over dinner and looked at her with begging, wide eyes.

_“Come on, Shadow. Please? It’ll be fun.”_

_He digs his fork into a carrot and lowers his brows. “How many different ways do I have to say ‘no’, Rouge?”_

_“As many as you want, because I’m not giving up.” She leans onto her elbow. “You’re more familiar with Sonic’s friends than I am. I need a buffer, hun.”_

_“‘Familiar’ isn’t the right word, and no. I’m fine.”_

_“Come onnnn. We barely even did anything for Thanksgiving dinner.” She presses. “This would be such a nice little outing.”_

_“Rouge, I--”_

_“And I know Sonic misses you.”_

_He closes his mouth, listening as Rouge goes on._

_“He’s told me he’s been busy with school and hasn’t had much time to talk. I know he’d be more than thrilled to see you tomorrow.”_

Shadow tries to play it off as if that wasn’t what swayed him. He tells her that it’d be nice to try his old pavlova recipe again and Rouge nearly squeals with excitement. He admits that it’s been strange not hearing a peep out of the hedgehog above him for the past few weeks. At first, he’d thought that maybe Sonic had lost interest but, then again. It’d be strange given his track record of an almost annoying amount of persistence.

Shadow smooths over his quills one last time before joining Rouge in the living room, watching as she applies a thick coat of gloss in their hall mirror.

“Ready, hun?” She looks over at him as she replaces the cap.

Shadow nods as he leans back on the arm of their chair. “I suppose.”

Rouge combs her fingers through the bit of fur behind her ear and smiles. “Great. Why don’t you grab the cake?”

________________________________

They end up leaving about twenty minutes later because Rouge decides to make one last outfit change.

There’s a barrage of voices on the other side of the door when they make their way upstairs, and they give each other a look before Rouge gently raps against the painted wood. Within a few seconds, the lock clicks open and they’re faced with a smiling pink hedgehog who’s smoothing out her apron as she opens the door wide.

“Hi!” She gestures behind her. “Please, come in! It’s so nice to see you two again.”

The two oblige her and start into the hall, marveling at the glimpse of the dining room they catch on their way in. It’s still in the works of being arranged, but they can only assume that Amy was responsible for it. There’s a plethora of candles lit and fancy dinnerware that they both know Knuckles and Sonic most likely didn’t have.

“You can set your food in the kitchen.” Amy says, looking back. “I’m still getting things ready in the dining room, so just hang tight for now. I promise it won’t be long.”

“Take your time dear,” Rouge says, leaning into the kitchen entryway to set their dish down. “We’re in no rush. If you need any help, just shout. I’d be more than happy to assist.”

Amy breathes a sigh of relief and clasps her hands together. “Thank you! That’s very kind of you, Rouge.” She smiles. “Sonic was supposed to help but, he’s being a diva right now. Tails is still helping him get ready.”

“I can’t say I’m surprised.” Rouge chuckles. “Is everyone else in the living room?”

“Yep!” She nods, but then hesitates. “Well, almost everyone.” 

Before either of them can inquire any further, the sound of the oven beeping intrudes the room.

“Oh! That’s the tenderloin, I should probably get that.” Amy tightens the straps of her apron. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

They’re left alone in the hall and Rouge looks back at Shadow, looking him up and down as he stands with his arms folded across his chest.

“Loosen up a bit, Shadow.” She playfully pushes his shoulder. “Maybe a bit of, oh I don’t know, _rum_ would help?”

He deadpans at her as she laughs. “You’re not funny.”

“I happen to think I am.” Rouge smirks back, turning as they both start towards the living room.

* * *

 

“What about this one?” Sonic steps out from his bathroom, hands out by his sides. “I think I like it.”

Tails squints as he sits cross-legged on Sonic’s bed, twisting his mouth. “Nah, I think I like the other one better.” He replies. “Besides, the yellow’s really obnoxious. I think the button-down was easier on the eyes.”

Sonic exhales heavily and starts pulling his shirt back over his head. “You realize that this is literally the same shade of yellow as your fur.”

“True, but I make it work.” Tails laughs cockily as Sonic chucks the shirt at his head. “Come on! Just put the other one back on and call it a day. You’re gonna catch Shadow’s eye one way or another.”

Sonic fishes the aforementioned garment out of the pile beside the door. “I know, but I don’t wanna seem like I’m trying too hard, y’know?”

“It’s a button down, Sonic. Not a suit.” Tails leans back onto his hands. “I think you’re in the clear.”

Sonic follows his direction and pulls the other shirt back on, sighing as he gets the final button fastened. He turns out of the mirror. “Yay?”

Tails eyes him. “Unbutton the first button.” Sonic does so, and a wide grin spreads across his face. “Yeaaah there we go! Now we’re talking!” He flashes a thumbs up. “Semi-formal but a little sex-appeal with the exposed chest. I approve.”

“Finally.” Sonic breathes a sigh of relief and goes to slip on his converse. “I think I can hear Rouge’s voice in the living room, so they’re definitely here already.”

Tails pushes himself up from the bed and goes over to place a hand on his shoulder. “Well, why don’t you go out there and make your grand entrance then, huh?”

Sonic chuckles as he slides open his bedroom door. “Shut up, dude.”

The aroma of fresh food wafts through the apartment as the two make their way down the hall, and Sonic inwardly thanks Chaos that everything seemingly was going off without a hitch. The three of them had to squeeze in a few extra plates in order to compensate for Knuckles’ disappearance, but luckily Sonic’s extra hand proved to be helpful. Under Amy’s close instruction and supervision, of course.

He can see one particular familiar face grinning widely as it rushes over to him, nearly tackling him to the ground with a hug.

“Sonic!” She squeezes his shoulders tightly and rocks them back and forth. “I haven’t seen you all semester! How are you?!”

“Hey Tangle!” Sonic tries his best to hug her back in her firm grip. “I’ve been awesome! It’s so great to see you again.”

Tangle steps back and gives Tails a hug too, gleaming with excitement. “Likewise! It’s been so long since we last hung out.”

“Yeah, I know.” Sonic chuckles out. “You know, track and stuff. But we should definitely change that.”

She puts her weight on one foot. “Of course! Just say the word and I’m there.”

“Aye, aye chief.”

He watches as she makes her way back over to Whisper in the corner, snuggling back up against her. He’d have to make his way over to her at some point during the night too, but he decides it would probably be better to do so when all the attention wasn’t focused on him. Sonic surveys the room, taking in both familiar faces and the one he’d been hoping to see tonight.

He’s hulled up in a corner like he normally would be, but Rouge seems to be pushing him to engage in at least some conversation. They’re chatting with Blaze and Silver about something that he can’t quite make out from this distance, but he thinks a small little interruption can't hurt anyway.

“Hey there strangers,” Sonic shoves his hands in his pockets as he approaches. “Long time no see.”

“Sonic! How are you, dear?” Rouge asks, gesturing for a hug. “I hope your midterms didn’t make life too crazy.”

“Well...” He chuckles nervously as he returns it. “I don’t know if I can say all _that_ , but--”

“Yeah, that ship has definitely sailed.” Tails chuckles as he sits down next to Silver. “He called me in the middle of the night panicking about a lecture we have together and I had to convince him not to drop the class.”

“Okay, to be fair, I’d been up for thirty-six hours by that point.” He adds in. “And I already wasn’t functioning super well.”

“Don’t worry, I remember those days,” Rouge says, putting a comforting hand on his side. “I definitely had my fair share of breakdowns during school, especially when I was working on my thesis project.” She smiles.”You’re in the clear.”

Sonic returns the smile and turns his attention to Shadow, clearing his throat as he speaks up. “What’s been going on with you, Shads?”

Shadow raises his brows. He’d clearly been a touch zoned out and blinks as he processes what Sonic had asked him.

“...Nothing spectacular.” He says, shifting on the wall. “My life isn’t as eventful as yours, I suppose.”

Sonic scoffs. “Excuse me? You travel abroad for your job. That automatically makes your life more interesting than mine.” He says. “You’ve gotta tell us some stories, dude. I bet it gets pretty crazy.”

“That would be a breach of security—“

“Oh come on, Shadow.” Rouge looks back at him. “You know you can talk about closed cases. Vector won’t care.”

Shadow gears up to defend himself, but hesitates when he sees everyone’s curious eyes staring up at him. “Perhaps. If I recall anything particularly outlandish.”

While Tails begins chatting Shadow up about the weapons and technology their agency uses, Rouge glances over at Sonic, clearing her throat as pats his thigh.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?”

Sonic blinks and nods, following her lead as she pulls them into the hall. Rouge hugs her arms as she looks up at him.

“Not to be too intrusive, but I haven’t seen Knuckles at all.” She says. “I thought he was supposed to be coming too.”

Sonic’s face sinks at that. His brows pin together and his mouth twists into a frown, rubbing his arm as he replies. “He was, but.” He looks away. “We sort of had a....disagreement, this morning.”

“Oh dear,” Rouge says. “What happened?”

Even though it’s hard to relive, Sonic takes the next ten minutes to recap the situation to her, watching as her expression goes from mildly hurt to concerned. Rouge looks down at the floor, a disappointed look welling in her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Sonic apologizes, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I know I said I’d try and get through to him for you, but I think I just ended up making things worse.”

“It’s alright, hun.” Rouge says a bit defeated. “He’s obviously got some things he needs to work through on his own before he’s ready for this type of thing.” She smiles weakly. “I really do appreciate you trying.”

Her feeling of disenchantment is almost contagious, and Sonic tries his best to not let his fuck up put a downer on the rest of the night. He guides them back over to the living room and sits next to her while they rejoin the conversation, cracking as many jokes and quips as possible to lighten the mood. It seems to work, after a bit of pressing it’s Blaze’s inquiry about where she’d gotten her heels from that draws her back into the discussion. It’s actually nice; Sonic admits that he’d been apprehensive about how well the two would mesh with the rest of his friends, but everything seemed to be going swimmingly so far.

* * *

 

Sonic finally gets a chance to assist Amy in getting the table together. They go through three rounds of shuffling around the fancy glass pots on the table, but end up settling on Amy’s first attempt anyway.

She’s thrilled to call everyone into the dining room, zipping around like a bee to put the final touches on everything. People crowd around each other as they all make their way into the hallway, Sonic noting Shadow’s place amongst everyone’s faces. He falls back a bit and gently touches Shadow’s arm, making him flinch a bit as he grabs his attention.

“Hey.” Sonic gives a bashful smile. “I don’t think I got to talk to you one on one yet. How’ve you been?”

Shadow stares for a brief moment. “I do recall you asking me this already, but as I said before, I’ve been fine. Nothing out of the ordinary has taken place over the last month--”

“Oh come on, you know what I mean.” Sonic nudges his arm. “How’ve _you_ been, personally? Let’s forget about work and shit for a second.” He starts. “Read any good books lately?”

That shocks Shadow. He doesn’t come across as the type to enjoy reading and he’s pleasantly surprised that Sonic even cares.

“...Yes, actually.” He replies, softening a bit. “I just recently finished a thriller trilogy series I’d really been enjoying.”

“Oh cool, what about?”

“....A doll. Named Charlie.”

The light that spreads across Sonic’s face is enough to brighten an entire room. He tightens his grip on Shadow’s arm and buzzes with glee, smiling like an idiot.

“Really? You actually took me up on one of my recommendations?” He asks. “Well, sort of. I’ve never read the books.”

“Well, I won’t lie and say I wasn’t curious after that one night.” Shadow goes on, looking up at Sonic’s quills. “Speaking of which, I can see that you solved your little hair dye debacle.”

Sonic goes red at that, smiling nervously as he reaches up into his quills. “Yeah, heh. It took about two weeks to completely wash out, but eventually, I got my blue back.”

Shadow gives the smallest smirk as he exhales through his nose. “It suits you better.”

“...Thanks.” Sonic replies. “I like the sweater, by the way. Navy looks good on you.”

Shadow hesitates before he replies. “Likewise.” He says. “It’s nice to see you in something other than red for once.”

Sonic tries his hardest not to blush but he knows he does. Shadow chuckling under his breath at him doesn’t make it better either. The next thing they know, they’re both departing over to the table and taking the few empty seats that are left. Amy carries one last plate into the room before setting it on the table. She unties her apron and tosses it onto her chair in triumph, clasping her hands together in excitement.

“Alright, thank you so much for being patient, everyone.” She beams. “And for your contributions, everything looks absolutely delicious!”

Blaze, seated next to her, places a hand on her back. “Of course, Amy. You’ve outdone yourself tonight.” She tells her. “Why don’t you have a seat so we can enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

Amy smiles warmly and obliges her, scooting her chair under the table as she sits. Sonic’s eyes travel over the table and he has to admit, everything seems to have fallen into place quite nicely, even despite their initial roadblock. Once Amy gives the okay, everyone dives into the food, glass and silverware clinking as plates are passed around. He’s been so stressed out for most of the day that eating hadn’t really been his priority, so he’s more than ecstatic to finally partake in everything.

Later into dinner after a bit of small talk, Rouge finally pushes Shadow to open up about one of his trips, which thrills Sonic. He goes on about how he’d gotten stuck in Yurashia after going undercover in a drug cartel. Apparently, there had been issues getting in contact with the agency back home and ended up traveling for weeks through the coastal towns of Chun-nan until he’d reached the country’s abroad division. Shadow painted as if everything were no big deal, but the remainder of the table was practically stunned.

“I didn’t have any of my original identification given that I’d been working undercover.” He continues, taking a bite of the tenderloin. “It took three hours to convince the head of their security that I was who I said I was. But, hell. I learned the language in the time that I was there, so it wasn’t completely useless.”

“You learned Chunnish in _three weeks?_ ” Sonic asks incredulously. “Shit, I wish I’d known that earlier. I’m taking it as my language credit and I’m almost certain I just bombed my midterm.”

“Don’t get your hopes up, I’m not fluent,” Shadow assures him. “But I can get by if need be.”

“That’s still pretty incredible.” Tails puts in, sipping his drink. “I bet that comes in handy during interrogations and stuff like that.”

Shadow chuckles. “It’s funny that you say that, because I actually--”

He’s cut off by the sound of clicking coming from down the hall. Sonic nearly jumps out of his seat when he realizes that it’s the front door being opened, followed by the sound of footsteps moving towards the living room.

The entirety of the table goes wide-eyed when they see two familiar forms come strolling into view, staring back nervously as they approach.

“...Hey everyone.”

Amy blinks in disbelief and sets down her fork, baffled as she replies. “Knuckles.” It almost sounds like a question. “You’re back?”

He goes to pull his coat off his shoulders and sighs heavily. “Yeah, I am.”

“I...I thought you weren’t coming?”

Knuckles shakes his head, giving the weakest smile he can muster. “Nah. I just....had to get some things together first.” Everyone is still shaken with silence, so he gestures to the person next to him. “You guys remember my cousin Tikal, right?”

Shadow and Rouge are shocked when the lot of the table practically leaps out of their seats, running over to swarm the girl next to Knuckles with hugs.

“Are you kidding? Of course we remember Tikal!” Sonic smiles as he pulls away. “I haven’t seen you since high school! How are you?!”

The smaller echidna blushes bashfully, covering her mouth slightly as she replies. “I’ve been great, actually. I really love Gascarma U, it’s so nice to be back on an island for once.” She hands her coat to Knuckles and holds out the wrapped dish in her hands. “I hope you all aren’t too far into dinner. Knuckles and I made an old Angelian recipe we both liked as kids.”

“Of course we aren’t!” Amy takes the dish with one hand and grasps Tikal’s wrist with the other. “Come, come sit! I’ll pull up some chairs for you guys.”

Sonic doesn’t get the chance to inquire further about Knuckles’ reappearance before they’re all back at the table, chatting on and laughing as if nothing had even happened. He’ll admit it’s strange seeing Knuckles joke and laugh again this soon after seeing seething with anger earlier in the day, but he’s not complaining by any means. Sonic chooses to ask questions later and goes with the flow for now, he could get the answers he wanted after dinner was over. ___________________________________

To his surprise, Sonic actually sees Knuckles approach Rouge on his own. He’s in the dining room helping Amy clear some plates off the table, but from what he can infer, the conversation goes well. Rouge’s demeanor changed the moment Knuckles had walked in, and Sonic’s thankful that things had a way of working themselves out despite his major fuck up earlier.

He’s even more surprised when he feels a large hand on his shoulder as he’s carrying dishes to the kitchen, turning around to see Knuckles’ apologetic expression.

“Hey.”

Sonic sets the glasses he’s carrying down on the nearest surface to him and smiles gently as he replies. “Hey.” He starts. “I’m really glad you made it, Knux.”

“Me too.” He gives a dry laugh. “I’m sorry for storming out on you earlier.”

“Dude, don’t apologize,” Sonic says back. “I never should’ve trivialized your feelings like that. I was way out of line to talk about your relationship like that.”

“Sonic, it’s okay.” Knuckles leans back against the wall. “You were right.”

Sonic blinks, processing what he’d just been told. “Wait, huh?” He asks. “ _I was?_ ”

He nods. “About me waiting around for Julie-Su to take me back.” He says. “I think I got so angry because I knew it was true. It took way to long for me to realize that, but honestly, you’re right. I can’t sit around waiting for her when I’ve got my own life to live.”

Sonic’s completely taken aback by his revelation. Knuckles wasn’t exactly known for his level-headedness and this was the most mature thing he’s heard him say in a while.

“I’m glad that I could help.” He replies, smiling warmly. “Where’d you go after you left? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Well, you really did piss me off.” Knuckles starts, chuckling under his breath.  “I wasn’t even sure where I was going when I got in my car. I just ended up driving around the city for a while until I ended up at the harbor.”

“I should’ve thought about that.” Sonic feels stupid. “That used to be your favorite place to go when we first started going to GMU together.”

“I hadn’t been there in a while so, I decided to go back.” Knuckles continues. “I sat there for a while just staring at the water and trying to decompress everything I was feeling. I was still heated even after a blunt or two though, so I texted Tikal.”

Sonic chuckles. “AKA the most level-headed person on Mobius.”

“Yeah, I know.” He replies. “I asked if I could come over to hers and talk. I was in the area and I knew if anyone could tell me if I was in the wrong, it was her.”

Sonic knows that’s true. Tikal was an incredibly sweet person, but definitely truthful when she needed to be.

“We just talked for a while. I told her about everything and she let me know what she thought, which was hard to hear, but necessary, you know.”

“Yeah, I do.” He places a hand on Knuckles’ shoulder. “I’m glad that everything ended up working out.”

“Yeesh, me too.” The echidna replies. “When she found out we were having dinner she practically dragged me into the kitchen. We spent a couple of hours getting things together before we finally bolted around five.” He laughs. “I had to borrow my damn uncle’s clothes. I didn’t exactly bring anything nice with me when I stormed out.”

At that, Sonic cackles, smiling with his teeth as he looks at Knuckles’s attire. “That explains a lot. I was wondering why you look like you just got off a tropical vacation.”

“Shut up man.” He punches him in the shoulder, smiling. “Look, it was either this, or showed up in lounge pants. Take your pick.”

Sonic waves a hand. “Nah, nah. I think it looks cool. You look....thrifty.”

“Thanks, asshole.”

Before they know it they’re talking as if nothing had happened and Knuckles is helping Sonic finish clearing the table. He’s thrilled that the guilt of the morning’s events had been lifted off his shoulders, but still a bit disappointed that he hasn’t gotten as much one on one time with Shadow as he’d planned. He'd gotten so caught up in making sure Amy didn’t overwork herself that he’d pushed his initial plans to the side.

He doesn’t wanna give up yet, however.

Sonic waits until later into the night to make his move. He doesn’t wanna spend too much time hyperfocusing on Shadow so he can still show the guests a good time, but he doesn’t waste a second when Rouge and Shadow announce that they’ve got work in the morning and they’re just about ready to leave.

“It’s really been a pleasure,” Rouge says as Sonic shows the both of them to the door. “Thank you for inviting us. Make sure you let Amy know that her cooking was lovely.”

“I definitely will, she’ll be super happy to hear that.” He replies, unlocking the door for them. “Thanks for coming, it was super fun talking to you guys tonight.”

“Not a problem, sweetheart.” Rouge looks over at Shadow. “You ready?”

The striped hedgehog gives a small nod before following her through the door, bidding Sonic goodbye before turning away. The moment he feels a hand grasp onto his arm, however, he looks back and sees Sonic standing outside his door, a nervous look in his eye.

“Wait.”

Shadow, although apprehensive, stops in his tracks. He faces him and raises an eyebrow as he speaks. “What is it?”

“I....um.” Sonic sighs frustratedly. Now wasn’t a good time to trip over his words. “Listen, I’m super, _super,_ happy that you were able to come over tonight. I’m glad I got to spend some time with you, even if it wasn’t really one on one.”

Shadow looks on inquisitively. “....The feeling is mutual. Thank you for having me.”

“Of course.” He says back, swallowing heavily. “Look, I had a really good time with you tonight and on Halloween, and all the little times before that. I know it’s a shot in the dark, and completely get it if you’re still not interested, but...”

Shadow’s eyes go wide.

“Do you wanna go on a date? Like, a real one?” He asks. “I _really_ like you, Shadow. I haven’t liked anyone this much in a while, and I wanna get to know you better.”

Luckily, Rouge seems to have taken her cue to leave and steps into stairwell with a smirk, winking as she disappears. Shadow stares back at Sonic’s wide green eyes, going over all the possible answers he could give and their projected outcome in his head. After a few seconds of silence, Shadow exhales through his nose, giving the smallest smile as he replies.

“You know what? Sure.”

Sonic has to contain the wave of excitement that washes over his body. A grin spreads across his face from ear to ear as he chirps back.

“Holy shit, really?” He clears his throat. “Um, I mean. G-great! I’m excited.”

“Likewise.” Shadow replies. “Without you barking at my door for the past few weeks, I think I’ve realized that maybe I’m not as busy as I thought I was.”

“That’s awesome to hear.” Sonic gleams back. “This is dope! I...I guess I’ll text you tomorrow about it?”

Shadow nods. “Sure. That sounds fine to me.”

“Great.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for keeping up! Let me know what you think and I'll catch u cool cats later


	11. Paper Lanterns

Sonic’s heart rate is through the roof. 

He’s not sure whether it’s the energy drink he’d thrown back before he’d left his apartment, or if it’s his nerves. Either way, he feels like he’s one bout of excitement away from popping a blood vessel and he knows he needs to get himself together before Shadow answers the door.

It’d been the only thing on his mind for the past week. Sonic admits that looking forward to this day has been both nerve wracking by exciting all at the same time, not to mention the fact that it was keeping him up at night. 

Sonic’s heart flutters when he hears the familiar click of the front door opening. He swiftly tucks his phone into his front pocket and tears his eyes away from the floor, beaming when he’s met with Shadow’s expression. 

Although today, however, he actually doesn’t look that tired.

Quite the opposite, in reality. He looks a little stoic, but Sonic knows that it’s just his resting face. He’s far more fresh-faced than he’d seen in the past, and it’s a bit jarring not to immediately be met with a scowl upon first sight. Shadow stands in the doorway dressed in attire that Sonic didn’t even know he’d owned, let alone seen him in before. For the first time out of all the times they’ve encountered each other, Shadow looks...comfortable. 

“Hey!” Sonic tries his best to stop staring as he meets Shadow’s eyes, smiling nervously. “You seem like you’re in a pretty good mood.” 

Shadow shifts onto one foot, shrugging in response. “I suppose.” He says. “My migraines have been few and far between recently, so I guess you could say I’m less irritable than usual.” 

“That’s great to hear!” Sonic replies. “I know how much of a pain in the ass those can be. My mom got them pretty bad ever since she had me and my brother.” 

Shadow looks over, a stunned look in his eye. “You have a brother?” 

“Yeah?” Sonic nods, completely unbothered. “Did I not tell you this?”

Shadow shakes his head, leaning against the foyer walls. “No. You’ve never mentioned it.” 

“Huh.” He shrugs. “That’s so weird. I could’ve sworn I brought it up once, but. Yeah. I have a twin brother and an older half-sister.” 

“A  _ twin  _ brother?” Shadow eyes go wide. “Chaos. And I thought that just one of you was a lot for the world to handle.” 

“Oh dude, we might be twins, but I can assure you we’re two totally different people.” Sonic starts. “Manic’s the family stoner.” 

Shadow snorts. “And you’re not?” 

“Okay look, I get high every now and again but not  _ everyday _ .” He defends himself. “My brother has three hobbies: smoking weed, playing in his band, and stealing shit.” 

“An interesting combination.” 

“Yeah, compared to him, I’m the golden child.” Sonic rolls his eyes. “Well, actually, scratch that. Sonia is.” 

“The eldest?” Shadow asks. “How so?” 

Sonic scoffs. “In every way you could imagine. She was a straight “A” student, she graduated from college with honors, and now she’s in grad school studying to be a pediatrician.” He laughs. “She did, however, come out to our dad first. So that softened the blow a lot for me.” 

Shadow raises an eyebrow. “It was regarded with a positive reaction, I hope.” 

Sonic waves a hand. “Oh totally. My parents don’t give a shit.” He says. “It was just nice to have her test the waters for me. My dad literally told me that he’d known since I broke up with Amy.” 

“Another thing I didn’t know about but, I can’t say I’m surprised.” Shadow smirks. “You don’t exactly give off the most ‘straight’ disposition.” He gestures to his torso. “Especially not in  _ that _ outfit.” 

Sonic admits, it strange to finally see Shadow’s sense of humor, but he’s enjoying every second of it. It’s incredibly dry and a bit dark, but still enough to make him belly laugh every once in a while.

He steps through the foyer after Shadow paces back into his apartment, absentmindedly rocking back and forth on his feet as his eyes follow him down the hall. In a few seconds, he returns from his room donning a fashionable grey overcoat and red scarf that Sonic just  _ can’t  _ let slide. 

“This is so weird.” Sonic chuckles, watching him approach. “I had no idea you were so....fashionable.” 

Shadow narrows his eyes as he ties his scarf. “Why do you sound so surprised?” 

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Sonic explains. “It’s just---don’t take this the wrong way but normally I see you in pretty casual stuff. Y’know?” He says. “T-shirts and jeans, maybe some gym clothes occasionally. But never--” He gestures to him. “All this.” 

Shadow scoffs. “I’d hardly call this high fashion, but I appreciate the sentiment.” He pats himself for his phone and wallet. “If you don’t mind, we can continue this conversation on the way to the garage.”  

Sonic obliges him, stepping out and letting Shadow lock the door behind them. He just barely picks up on the scent of something woody and floral in Shadow’s cologne. He thinks he should really start wearing body spray or something, because on a scale of zero effort to Shadow, his converse and deodorant are falling somewhere around a four.

“So,” Sonic watches the light flicker above the closed elevator door. “I’m just curious but, Rouge mentioned that you decorated you guys’ apartment for the most part.” 

Shadow looks over with a brow raised. “That’s true, yes. Why do you bring it up?” 

“No particular reason, I just think it’s cool as all.” Sonic shoves his hands in his jacket pockets. “I had to call in Amy for help with our place. Otherwise, it’d probably just’ve ended up looking like a prison cell or something.” He says, meeting his eyes. “It looks incredible. I know you have a fancy government job and all but, honestly. If you needed to, you could make a living off of doing that kind of stuff.” 

Shadow’s face softens. He blinks a few times and looks towards the ground, the smallest smirk forming on his lips. “I considered it for a while.” 

“Really?” 

Shadow nods. “During high school. My sister always thought that I had an eye for design.” 

“Oh.” Sonic tenses at the mention of Maria. “You decided not to, I guess?” 

“Well, my last year of high school was an absolute catastrophe, in more ways than one.” He replies, sighing. “Let’s just say that going to college wasn’t a major priority for me back then. Especially not at that time.” 

Sonic wants to ask. He knows that Rouge had mentioned before that Shadow’s past was murky, but he knows that it’s not the time or the place. He just closes his mouth and nods. If Shadow wanted to tell him at some point, he would. For right now, he’d settle for putting together context clues and continually getting hints from Rouge. 

“Well, either way. It looks like things worked out in your favor.” He says as the elevator doors open. “Seems like you’re doing pretty well, at least from where I’m standing.” 

Shadow gives the faintest smile as they continue out into the garage. The air is brisk even with the barrier of the cement walls, and Sonic’s thankful that what he has planned today isn’t an outdoor activity. He trails behind Shadow until they’re a few steps away from his familiar black car, and just as he walks around towards the passenger side door, he halts. 

Parked in the space next to them is a motorcycle that Sonic’s never seen before. He doesn’t know much about them at all, but he knows for a fact that from the shiny chrome finish and overall flagrancy of it, it has to be expensive. He stares at it for a moment, his eyes fixated on the handlebars for some unknown reason. 

“Is everything alright?” 

Shadow’s voice makes Sonic jump, but he quickly regains his composure. He turns his head towards him with wide, questioning eyes, pointing back at the bike.

“Dude, is this yours?” 

Shadow glances over, nodding. “Yes, it is.” He says. “It was given to me by my job. I don’t ride it that often, however. Only when certain situations call for it.” 

Sonic knows it’s a leap of faith, but he takes it anyway. He turns back to Shadow, his hands laced in excitement. “Can, oh I don’t know,  _ today _ be one of those situations?” 

Shadow raises his brows, his mouth falling open in unsureness. “I don’t know about that. It’s not a car, Sonic.” He says. “If something were to happen, you could get  _ seriously  _ hurt—“ 

“Please? I’ll listen to you one hundred percent.” Sonic interjects, drawing an ‘x’ over his heart. “I’ll follow your instructions to a ‘t’. I swear on my life.” 

Shadow prepares himself to tell Sonic “no” and deal with his whining on the drive across town, but something about the look in his eye makes it difficult. There’s a glint of childlike wonder in them and he’s nearly bouncing with excitement, smiling ear to ear like a goddamn idiot. Shadow tries his hardest to see past it but for some reason, he can’t. He can’t say no and he groans as he pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“If I say yes, you  _ have  _ to listen to everything that I say, do you understand?” He starts. “We’re not doing any tricks, no speeding for fun, nothing dangerous whatsoever.” 

“Absolutely!” Sonic says back, almost a little too quickly. “You’re totally the captain of this ship. I’ll do whatever you say, Shads.” 

After a few seconds of deep thought, Shadow lets out a sigh. 

“Fine.” He clicks his key farb. “There’s a spare helmet in my trunk.” 

Sonic zips around the car like a housefly and snatches the helmet with a quickness. Shadow’s motorcycle roars to life as he turns the ignition, kicking down the stand as he pulls on his helmet. Sonic struggles to throw his leg over the side of the bike, trying his hardest not to accidentally kick Shadow in the back. He plops down with a thud and fumbles with the chin straps of his helmet as he pulls it over his head. He’s surprised that it fits at all, typically any type of hat whatsoever is a nightmare for his quills.

Shadow revs the engine a bit and looks back over his shoulder, his face obscured by the tint of the visor. 

“Wrap your arms around my waist.” 

Sonic just barely hears him over the engine but picks up enough to lurch forward, hooking his arms around Shadow’s torso. Even through the helmet, he’s close enough to smell the cedarwood in Shadow’s clothes and pushes himself to keep it together. 

Shadow grips the handlebars. “When I pull off, hold on to me tight and  _ don’t  _ let go, understood?” 

“Believe me, that’s not gonna be a problem!” Sonic’s glad the shield is probably covering his red face. “But yeah. It’s crystal clear! Take it away, captain!” 

Shadow gives an affirmative nod and feels Sonic clutch his waist as the bike jolts forward, tearing out of the space and around the aisle. 

He admits, the first few minutes are terrifying. Even riding behind Shadow feels weirdly vulnerable; every experience he’d ever had with vehicles involved five metal walls and a seatbelt. Knowing he was just one slip up away from colliding with the road honestly made him a bit anxious. 

Shadow must’ve been able to tell. At the next stoplight, He briefly pushes up the chin guard of his helmet and looks back over his shoulder.

 “Are you okay?” 

Sonic blinks. “Y-yeah, I’m just a little out of my element. This is really.....different.” 

“I figured as much.” Shadow replies. “You’re shaking.” 

Was he  _ really?  _

Sonic chuckles nervously and smiles beneath the helmet. “Pssht. Nah, that’s just the bike. I’m calm as a clam. One hundred percent A-okay.” 

“Mhmm.” Shadow looks forward. “Whatever you say.” 

The light turns green and they pull off with a start; Sonic’s gripping Shadow’s waist with every ounce of strength in his body. He can feel it now, he _ is  _ shaking and tries his best to center his mind around the fact that Shadow knows what he’s doing. He’s mentioned before that he’s had this bike for years and knows how to handle it, so there should be absolutely nothing to worry about. 

It takes another few miles, but Sonic finally pulls himself together. Once he gathers enough courage to open his eyes, he’s in awe of the scenery that washes by. He’s never been through this part of Grand Metropolis and he’s entranced with the way the fallen, brown leaves dance in the dust of the motorcycle. It’s early December and the plant life is slowly beginning to die off, but there’s still enough left for the mix of reds and yellow hues to catch Sonic’s eye from above. 

“You said this place is in Chun-nantown, correct?”

Sonic blinks out of his trance and looks ahead, flashing a thumbs up. “Yeah! About three blocks from the Pagoda bridge, in the art district!”

He sees Shadow give an affirmative nod as he grips the throttle with his hand, leaning forward a bit as the bike charges down one of the city’s empty streets. Sonic finds himself holding on tight again, less so out of fear and more so that he can relax into Shadows back. It’s a long drive across town and if he was going to get comfortable, he might as well do it now.

* * *

 

They end up parking a couple of blocks away from their destination, mainly because Shadow’s adamant on parking “legally” and not pulling over on restricted streets. 

The trek back isn’t too treacherous; Sonic catches his ankle in a divot in the sidewalk, but luckily Shadow catches his arm before he collides face first with the concrete. Chun-nantown isn’t known for being particularly upkept, at least not in the less populated areas. 

Shadow blindly follows Sonic until he stops in front of a large set of stone stairs, his hand extended upwards toward the doors. 

“After you.” 

Shadow humors him. His thighs burn a bit once they're halfway up, but he’s less focused on the pain in his legs and more on his realization of where they are. He hasn’t been through the art district in years, and his memory already isn’t great. He’s annoyed with himself that it takes him so long to figure out where they’re going.

Shadow looks back over his shoulder as Sonic joins him on the top step. 

“Grand Metro Museum?” He asks, his brows twisting in confusion. “I know that we agreed that you’d decide what we did today, but I think I’ll need a bit more of an explanation on this particular...” He gestures to the doors. “...choice.” 

Sonic chuckles. “Well, I did have some help. Amy recommended this to me.” He starts. “She and her girlfriend came by a few weeks ago to see an exhibit that’s supposed to be really cool. I’ve heard good things about it from the art majors at my school too, so. I thought it’d be a good idea” 

Shadow’s shocked by that. His expression softens and he looks back towards the doors. “Interesting. You don’t strike me as the type to be interested in the arts.” He pauses. “No offense.” 

“Nah, none taken,” Sonic assures him. “I know what you mean; and to be honest, I’m really not.” He says. “But I know you are. And from what Amy told me, this exhibit seems pretty rad. I think we’d both enjoy it.” 

Shadow feels a bit guilty about doubting Sonic’s ability to plan a good date. He won’t lie, when Sonic had first asked to take the reins, he was hesitant. It wasn’t as if he’d had much planned either, he’d thrown around a few ideas with Rouge and considered a normal dinner date, but hadn’t really decided on anything. Although it was concerning, it was also a bit of a relief to know the onus wasn’t on him. He’s pleasantly surprised by Sonic’s gesture and finds himself smiling inwardly. 

“That’s very thoughtful of you.” He says, starting towards the entrance. “Thank you.” 

Sonic nods and follows close behind, careful not to let the doors slam too hard behind them. It’d been years since he’d been in the museum; the last memory he’d had of it still involved him having to hold his mother’s hand. He remembers chasing Tails through the Yurisha exhibit and nearly getting stranded from their parents in the maze of the museum’s corridors. Despite being a few feet taller, however, the ceilings still feel miles away and the halls feel endless. He’s nearly entranced by every statue they walk past. 

They’re both hard-headed; it takes about three wrong turns and a trip through the medieval wing for them to finally cave and ask a security guard for help. After they’re finally pointed in the right direction, they both collide with a line of hopeful museum-goers posted up outside of a huge wall of black curtains. Sonic goes a bit red faced when Shadow takes it upon himself to pay both their admission fees, and after roughly ten minutes of small talk, they actually make it past the velvet rope. 

It’s darker than the night sky once they slip through the curtains. Sonic just barely finds the direction they’re supposed to be headed in by noting a few faintly glowing arrows on the floor. The hall narrows until they squeeze around a small corner, eyes blowing wide as they take in the entirety of the room. 

Sonic’s awestruck. He makes a note to thank Amy later for her suggestion and stares up and around the walls. His reflection fades off into oblivion as he gazes into the endless show of lights and mirrors surrounding them. He tries his best to locate the “real” Shadow amongst his ghosts, and slides in beside him, casually nudging his shoulder with his. 

“These art students weren’t kidding, huh?” He laughs, meeting Shadow’s eyes. “This is pretty cool.”

It’s not until that moment that Sonic finds Shadow’s merlot eyes filled with pure wonder. His gaze trails around the walls and back towards him, his mouth slightly agape. 

“Absolutely.” Shadow places a hand on one of the walls, captivated by the way his reflection extends into infinity. “I’ve only ever seen something like this once before, and that was years ago. Before I even began working for the government.” He looks back at Sonic. “Do you remember the name of the artist?” 

Sonic purses his lips, searching the back of his mind for the answer. “Sticks, I think? I’m not sure.”

Shadow’s eyes go wide. “Is she a badger?” 

Sonic wishes he could frame the way Shadow’s face lights up when he nods. He gives the warmest smile Sonic’s ever seen from him and chuckles underneath his breath.

 “It’s incredible how far old friends can come when you fall out of contact, isn’t it?”

“Hold on, ‘old friends’?” Sonic asks. “You know her?” 

“I did in the past, yes.” He says. “She didn’t work in such a robust medium when I knew her but, she used what she could at the time.” 

“You’re bluffing.”

 He shakes his head. “Not at all. Sticks was a strange woman, but in the time we spent together, we sort of became friends out of happenstance.” Shadow looks around. “I remember there was one painting she did of me. She’d always been incredibly intrigued by my furcolor and she’d finally convinced me to be her subject for an hour or so.”

“Wait a minute.” Sonic interrupts, looking at him incredulously. “You’re telling me that not only did you run into a famous artist before she was famous, but she  _ painted  _ you _?”  _

“I guess that is what I’m saying.” Shadow replies, chuckling. “I never did find out what happened to that is. However, from what I can remember, it’s quite similar to the aesthetics of this exhibit.”

“Wow.” Sonic looks around. “That’s insane. It makes sense, though. I think I read that she paints what’s inside her head, and this definitely looks like a fever dream or something.” 

“Most definitely. In the time that I knew her, I can vouch for this being an accurate representation.” Shadow replies, taking one last look around. “I’m assuming that this isn’t the end of everything, is it?” 

Sonic shakes his head, pointing towards one of the corners. “Oh no, there’s lots more. I was just waiting for you to be done staring at everything like a kid in a candy store.” 

“Funny.” Shadow smirks as he pushes past Sonic, playfully shoving him in the shoulder. “Let’s move on then, shall we?” 

* * *

 

The other rooms in the exhibit are just as breathtaking. Sonic has to fight the urge to snap a picture at every section and stay in the moment. They follow a group of museum goers through a dark room full of luminescent faux clouds, strung low enough from the ceiling that they’re eye-level. Shadow nearly scolds Sonic for tampering with the exhibit before realizing that people were  _ supposed  _ to stick their heads in the clouds,  _ literally _ . He’s hesitant, but takes Sonic’s delighted reaction as a good sign and follows suit. The sensation feels oddly familiar, almost like what he’d see if he rubbed his eyes too hard. It’s not disorienting by any means, however. It’s mesmerizing and only interrupted when he feels Sonic tug on his wrist from the outside.

They pass through room after room of dream-like scenery until they come to one specific area. It’s mostly dark, but a few purple lights paint the fog that flows across the reflective floor of the room. Their eyes look skyward as small bubbles fall from the ceiling, bursting into smoke upon impact with the ground. Sonic smiles wonderfully, holding his hand out as a bubble pops in his glove. Vapor cascades through his fingers and drifts to the ground, instantly earning a smile. 

Shadow watches as he sticks both hands up, bewitched by the dreamy vision of it all. He doesn’t mean to stare, but he truly can’t help it. Excitement wasn’t a rare emotion to see on Sonic, but the level of pure euphoria in his eyes is something Shadow can’t look away from. Everything felt like a dream, the fog drifting past their feet, the cool wash of light over their bodies, being surrounded by something as temporal as glowing bubbles. 

Sonic blinks when he looks back over at Shadow. He’s much closer than before, practically breathing the same air as him. His gaze is unwavering and suddenly, Sonic finds himself lost in it. Words fizzle in his mind but die out before he can form a complete thought, his eyes glancing between Shadow’s and his lips.

 He’s not sure who leans first, but he doesn’t really care. He feels a hand snake up around his jaw as he moves closer, eyelids gently falling closed. 

And nearly a split second later, Shadow’s reminded why he loathes children so much. 

He’s nearly knocked off his feet when a pint-sized pygmy darts past his legs, shoving him into Sonic in the most arduous way possible. His upper lip bangs against Sonic’s nose and he clutches his face in pain, groaning loudly at the shockwave that jolts through his jaw. Sonic squeezes his eyes shut and rubs his nose, shaking his head violently at the uncomfortable sensation. 

“What the hell?” Sonic regains himself and looks in the direction the child ran, incredulously watching a pair of adult pygmies chase after the culprit. He rolls his eyes and looks back at Shadow, paling when he sees a tinge of blood dribble out from his upper lip. “Oh shit.” 

“I’m okay.” Shadow fishes through his coat pocket, pulling out a handkerchief. “I just need a second to handle this.” 

“How about we go to a bathroom instead of letting you bleed all over an art exhibit?” Sonic places his hand on his back. “Come on, I think this is the last room anyway.” 

“Sonic, I’ve been shot before. I’m not in dire pain--” 

“So? I don’t care.” Sonic pushes him towards the exit. “Besides you really wanna get blood on your nice suede jacket? Just let me help you.”

Shadow’s reluctant about it, but he eventually lets Sonic guide him to the nearest men's bathroom. He feels like a child as Sonic dabs at his lip with a paper towel, but strangely enough, he’s not uncomfortable. It’s almost reassuring to see Sonic’s concern, he was used to only really receiving it from Rouge, after all. 

It’s refreshing, and Shadow internally hopes it won’t be the last time he encounters it. 

* * *

 

“What’s Lay-oh-chuh?” Sonic squints at the menu in front of him, eyeing the small image next to the dish in question. “The ingredients look good.” 

“First of all, it’s pronounced ‘ _ lao-chei’. _ ” Shadow corrects, blowing a bit of steam off his tea. “Second of all, it’s Chunnish for ‘sea-cucumber’, and I doubt you’re feeling that adventurous today.” 

Sonic winces and flips to the next page in his menu. “Eugh. You’re right. Scratch that.” He scans the page. “Come on. This place doesn’t have like, sweet and sour chicken or something like that?” 

“This is an authentic Chunnish restaurant, Sonic. What did you expect?” Shadow asks. “It’s not the trashy lo-mein you get at your college’s dining hall.” 

“I _ know _ , but..” He sighs. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a simple guy. I like simple food.” He says. “My go-to is those shitty chili-dogs at the MetroGas by the apartments. I’m not used to all this weird stuff.” 

“You wanted to come here, Sonic.” Shadow says. “We could always go somewhere else--” 

“No, no. I’m not a quitter.” He interrupts. “I’m just gonna try and find something that looks  _ kinda  _ my speed.” 

Shadow takes it upon himself to reach across the table, pointing at a specific menu item. “Shuten. It’s just fried pork with plum sauce.” He says. “It’s probably the most basic thing you could order here.” 

Sonic breathes a sigh of relief and places his hand over Shadow’s, smiling sweetly as he looks up. “What would I do without you, Shadow dearest?” 

He chuckles. “If I had to guess, probably stumble around Chun-nantown, asking some poor stranger for directions in broken Chunnish.” 

“Hey, my Chunnish isn’t  _ that  _ bad.” Sonic takes a swig of his soda. “It’s not good either, but I could definitely get around. If I needed to.” 

Shadow raises an eyebrow. “Really?” 

Sonic blinks, nodding quickly. 

A devious smile forms on Shadow’s face. He leans onto his elbow and tilts his head. “ _ Ba i piunǔen lie piunainou sai?”  _

Sonic freezes, trying his hardest to not look at the shit-eating grin on Shadow’s face as he attempts to translate the sentence in his head. “.... _ Shi nou lui-nen?”  _

Shadow covers his mouth as tea nearly spurts from his lips, swallowing before snickering inwardly. Sonic huffs and folds his arms across his chest, leaning back in his chair.

“Okay, that’s not fair.” He says, tossing a crumpled napkin at him. “You’re speaking super fast and I barely got a word of that.” 

“I asked you how the weather was.” Shadow sets down his mug. “And you responded with ‘I like library’.” 

Sonic rolls his eyes and lets Shadow laugh to himself, his brows lowered as he glares back at him. “Now you understand why I’m failing Chunnish.” 

“Very much so.” Shadow composes himself. “Well, just know that I’d be happy to help. You clearly need it.”

“Stop it, you dick!” Sonic finds himself laughing. “I’m trying and that’s all that matters.” 

“If you say so.” 

In a few minutes, their waitress returns to their table and asks for their orders. Sonic’s thankful that Shadow takes it upon himself to tell her rather than watching him butcher the pronunciation in front of a native speaker. She smiles and tells them it’ll be ready soon, disappearing behind a curtain of red as she walks towards the kitchen.

Sonic sips at the ounce of soda left in his glass before he clears his throat, drawing Shadow’s attention. 

“It seems like every time we talk one on one like this, I find out something new about you.” He starts, fiddling with his straw. “What else are you hiding from me, Shads?” 

He scoffs. “Excuse me?” 

“You know what I mean.” Sonic presses, smirking. “You’re such a complex person. It’s like every time I get past one layer of you, there’s six more underneath and they’re all locked with a deadbolt.” He leans in. “Let’s get personal. What’s the craziest, riskiest thing you’ve ever done?”

Shadow purses his lips. “How forward of you.” 

Sonic shrugs. “I didn’t get you on this date by beating around the bush, did I?”

He has a point.

Shadow ponders it for a moment, but eventually nods, gesturing vaguely. “I know you’re too persistent to ignore so, fine. I’ll indulge you.” He replies. He looks around the surrounding tables to make sure that no nosy restaurant-goers are listening too closely to their conversation, and looks back when he’ sure they aren’t. He leans in closer to Sonic and speaks lowly, an eyebrow raised. “Have you ever been high on Terpanide?” 

Sonic nearly crushes his straw, his eyes going wide. “ _ Ecstasy? _ ”

Shadow nods, sitting back. “I’m used to using the medical term from work. My apologies.” 

“Holy shit, don’t apologize! Tell me more!” Sonic props himself up on his elbows. “ _ You?  _ Of all people?”

Shadow chuckles under his breath. “Listen, Sonic. I may seem very refined, but I can tell you that four years ago, I was in a completely different place than I am now.” 

“Then stop stalling and  _ explain _ .” He urges. “I think I might die if you don’t elaborate.” 

Shadow rolls his eyes, but continues. “When Rouge was in college and I was running around Grand Metropolis doing Chaos knows what, we had a lot of....interesting hobbies.” He starts. “One of the major ones was attending underground raves.” 

Sonic blinks rapidly. “ _ You?”  _

“Yes, me.” Shadow replies. “Shocking, I know. But it’s the truth.” He says. “I ended up losing Rouge in the crowd and then some massive ram slipped me a few ecstasy tabs.” He rolls his eyes. “And I, being the moronic eighteen-year-old that I was at the time, decided that taking street drugs from a stranger was an absolutely fantastic idea.” 

“This. Is.  _ Insane. _ ” Sonic grips the edge of the table. “Is this the ‘wild past’ you were talking about at my party? Cause if so, I’m gonna need to get know that side of you a little better.” 

“I can assure you that you don’t want to.” Shadow replies dryly. “As fun as it may sound, that night had consequences.” 

Sonic hesitates. “...Oh?” 

“Well, as I said before. I got high out of my mind and ended up having sex with that guy.” Shadow sighs, rubbing his forehead. “In...the venue’s bathroom.” 

Sonic nearly screams. He has to clasp his hands over his mouth not to make a scene. 

_ “You’re kidding.” _

“Unfortunately not.” He admits. “Don’t look so excited. I ended up with an unexpected parting gift that took over a month to cure.” 

Sonic pales. “Oh.” 

“Yeah.” He replies. “As I said before, that night had major consequences that could’ve been way worse in retrospect. I got lucky that I didn't catch something more life threatening.”

“I guess so,” Sonic says, rubbing his quills. “I’ve heard of that kind of stuff ruining peoples lives.” 

“So have I,” Shadow says. “So take my advice and don’t idolize my past self. I made a lot of dumb decisions.” 

“Message received.” Sonic chuckles nervously. “This is awkward. I was gonna say that the craziest thing I’ve ever done was give a dude head behind some bleachers, but that’s like, nothing compared to what you said.” 

“Trust me, Sonic. If that’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done, you’re living a pretty normal life.” Shadow says. “And you should try to keep it that way.” 

Their food arrives a few conversation topics later, and Sonic’s thrilled to see that his food looks not only recognizable, but delicious. He’s not sure in the slightest what Shadow ordered, but the array of vegetables and meat piled on a bed of glassy noodles looks appetizing either way. The moment he sees him reach for a pair of chopsticks from beside his plate, a low chime sounds from his jacket pocket. 

Shadow groans irritably and slips his phone out, closing his eyes in frustration as he sees the caller ID. Sonic looks a bit concerned, talking around a mouthful of food as he speaks. 

“Is everything alright?” 

Shadow nods. “Everything’s fine. It’s just a work call.” He looks up. “I apologize, but I have to take this.” 

“It’s cool dude, go ahead.” Sonic waves him off. “Take all the time you need.” 

Shadow pushes himself up from the table and walks towards the restrooms, making sure he’s out of earshot of the restaurant before accepting the call. He leans against the wooden wall behind him and glares at a baboon as he leaves the men’s bathroom. 

“What is it, Vector?” Shadow growls sharply. “I requested the day off for a reason.”  

He hears him laugh slyly through the speaker.  _ “Come on, don’t be like that. This’ll be a quick call, I promise.”  _

“You’ve got two minutes.” 

_ “Fine, fine. Yeesh.”  _ He hears a few papers being shuffled around.  _ “Remember that Oxcene ring up in Downunda that popped up a few months ago?”  _

Shadow taps his foot. “Yes, I do. What’s your point?” 

_ “Turns out the HQ there’s got a pretty solid lead on where it might be stemmin’ from, but they need an undercover specialist from our division to help pinpoint it.”  _

He sighs. “And I’m guessing that specialist is me?” 

_ “Bingo.”  _ Vector replies. 

“How long?”    
  
_ “Two weeks, max.” _ He says.  _ “I’m still in the process of getting the travel details together, but you can expect to leave tomorrow night. They’re trying to get a handle on this shit soon.”  _

Shadow has to use all his physical restraint not to bitch Vector out over the phone. He pinches the bridge of his nose and lets his head fall back against the wall, groaning as he speaks. “Of course they are.” 

_ “Listen, I know you’re on a date and everything, but do you think you could drop by beforehand and look over these case files? I don’t want ya goin’ in blind, y’know.”  _

Shadow glares at nothing. “You’ve got  _ a lot  _ of fucking nerve, Vector.” 

The crocodile chuckles.  _ “I know I do, but I sign off on your paychecks, so...”  _

“Chaos, just shut up.” He interrupts. “I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon. _ Goodbye. _ ” 

Before Vector can get another word in, Shadow ends the call and shoves his phone back into his pocket.  _ Of course _ this had to happen right now. Right before Christmas and immediately after he’d decided to let someone else into his life for once. He hadn’t been abroad in months, but the one time he’d actually been  _ wishing  _ to stay home, he’s shipped off across the Amerian Ocean for half a month. 

Shadow tries his best not to look too irritated when he sits back down at their table, but obviously, he’s not masking his emotions too well. Sonic looks up at him with concerned eyes, lowering his fork from his face. 

“Everything alright?” 

“Yes. Everything’s fine.” Shadow replies, picking up his chopsticks. “I just got some...less than ideal news.” 

“....That would be?” 

He looks up. “I can’t say much but,  just know I’m going abroad soon.” He replies. “Not by choice, but it shouldn’t be for that long.” 

“Soon like....during Christmas soon?” Sonic’s relieved when Shadow shakes his head. 

“I should be back before then.” He raises an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?” 

“No particular reason,” Sonic stutters. “I guess it’d just be shitty to have to work through the holiday, y’know?” 

Shadow shrugs as he brings a string of noodles to his lips. “I got lucky, I suppose.” 

“I know Rouge would miss you.” Sonic says, smiling. “You guys have to have some sort of Christmas tradition. Anything at all.” 

“Not really--” 

“Come on.” He urges, giving a knowing look. “Nothing?” 

There’s a long pause, but it eventually ends with a tired sigh from Shadow. 

“Sometimes,” He starts. “Rouge and I have a few glasses sangria and bake for a bit. But that’s the full extent of it.” 

Sonic beams with a wide grin on his face, his hands cupping his cheeks. “Aw! That’s adorable!” 

“Stop.” 

“I’m serious!” He says back. “Honestly. It may seem really minuscule to you, but it sounds like it’s a fun tradition.” He smiles. “In fact, I’d love to have some of whatever you guys bake this year. That cake you brought to our dinner was incredible.” 

Shadow can’t help but smirk softly, looking up from the bowl beneath him. 

“Perhaps you could drop by. If we’re not too tipsy, that is.”

* * *

 

They spend a lot more time in Chun-nantown than they’d originally planned to. 

Sonic’s quickly entranced by the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood, it’s littered with gorgeous shades of red and street vendors that sell everything known to man. They wander through a few outdoor markets and ogle at the rebellious graffiti that covers most of the buildings in the art district. Out of all of the things that Sonic can actually read properly, a golden sign printed with “pastries” in Chunnish is something he understands immediately. 

He practically drags Shadow in, fawning over the array of cakes and breads that reside behind the glass counter. It’s another instance where Sonic tries to pay, but doesn’t get the chance. The moment he points to a specific pastry Shadow already has his wallet out, dismissively waving at him as he offers to cover it. 

Sonic almost feels bad when they venture back out and he takes a bite, his face contorting at the extremely bitter taste of whatever Shadow had just bought him. He sucks it up, however. He tries his hardest not to seem ungrateful and swallows bite after bite as they continue around the city. 

They eventually end up in the heart of the town. It’s past sunset and the streets glow with red and white neon signs and dim lights from the paper lanterns above. The life of the city seems to be quieting down and the car horns are replaced with the low chatter of passersby. The faintest ripples of water echo through the streets as the two come face to face with the cities main attraction. 

“Whoa.” Sonic looks up, staring on in awe. “I knew the Pagoda bridge was cool looking, but  _ holy crap.”  _

Shadow’s almost at a loss for words. It’s beautiful. It mimics the architecture he’d seen in Chun-nan almost exactly, but on a much smaller scale. Red and green are stacked rooves tower above the bridge below, silver and gold windchimes blow in the city’s night breeze. He’s surprised that vegetation can even thrive in a place as congested as this, but he’s not complaining by any means. 

Shadow looks over at Sonic with the intention of following him up the bridge’s ramp. However, the hedgehog seems frozen in place as his eyes lay pinned to the decently sized pond located just below the bridge. 

Shadow evaluates his body language for a moment, and places a hand on his back. 

“Sonic, take a breath.” He says. “You’ll be fine.”

Sonic looks up from the dark water and stares into Shadow’s eyes, swallowing heavily as he nods. “Yeah, yeah okay. I’m cool. I got this.” 

Shadow takes the lead. He guides Sonic around the stepping stone path that leads to the edge of the bridge. With a decent amount of apprehension, Sonic steps onto the painted wood, his hand squeezing the life out of Shadows as they walk further over the water. They stop about midway out; Shadow can feel Sonic’s fingers trembling between his and decides not to push him any further. 

He turns back to face the hedgehog who looks as if he’s trying his best to fight off his fear. His sporadic eye movement and closed off body language tells a completely different story, however. 

Shadow steps closer to him, wrapping a protective arm around his shoulder. “Sonic, look at me.” 

He glances up, swallowing anxiously. “I’m fine.” 

“You’re not, but it’s alright. I know this is probably still a lot for you.” Shadow tightens his hold. “This bridge is meant for people watch the pond from above. I promise you it’s safe. We’re not going to fall.” 

Sonic takes a few deep breaths and looks back at the water, gathering himself together. “You’re right.  _ You’re right...”  _ He repeats. “I’m cool. I’m fine. We’re  _ safe.  _ This bridge is  _ safe.”  _

“Good. Breathe.” Shadow tells him. “You’re alright.” 

It seems to work. Sonic finally relaxes under his arm and doesn’t immediately look away when he glances down at the water below. He hadn’t noticed it at first, but the pond is brimming with life even within the city. He sees a frog hop from one giant lily pad to another and a few koi fish dart around below the surface, catching a glimpse of their bright orange coloring every now and again. 

The air is incredibly frigid, but neither of them feel even the slightest bit cold. Sonic lets his head fall against Shadow’s shoulder as they both watch the life swim around the pond below. 

“Today’s been incredible, Shadow.” Sonic breaks the silence. “I’ll admit, I didn’t have much else planned besides the exhibit thing but, I’m really glad it turned out the way it did.” He lifts his head. “I had a lot of fun goofing off with you.” 

For once, Shadow doesn’t try to mask his emotions in stoicism. He lets a smile spread fully across his face and squeezes Sonic’s shoulder. 

“Likewise.” He says. “It’s more than likely apparent but, I don’t normally go out like this much anymore. Not unless Rouge drags me somewhere with her friends.” He chuckles. “It’s remarkable. If you’d told me months ago that I’d be here with you right now, I doubt I would’ve believed it.” 

Sonic laughs. “Neither would I.” He says. “But I’m really glad it happened.” 

A silence settles in again as the two focus back on each other. Sonic’s eyes linger on Shadow’s mouth for a few seconds before he takes a leap of faith, not wanting to risk being interrupted again. His lips meet Shadow’s and every knot of tension in his muscles relaxes. He tastes like minty chapstick and a tad savory from their lunch earlier, but Sonic couldn’t care less. He feels Shadow’s arm slip around his back as he’s pulled closer, feeling the striped hedgehog take full control. 

It feels like hours pass and they spend each second of it lost in each other. Shadow’s finger meets the underside of Sonic’s chin and tilts his head back slightly, letting him deepen the kiss as the smallest amount of tongue enters the equation. 

It’s unreal. Sonic had never truly understood the ‘fireworks’ that people described when kissing someone before.

At least, not until now. 

They finally break apart and Sonic feels drunk off affection. Shadow’s eyes lay locked on his until he feels Sonic’s hand graze his cheek, a smile adorning the blue hedgehog’s face. 

“Thanks for convincing me to come up here with you.” He says, his gaze tender. “I doubt that would’ve felt as magical from the ground.” 

Shadow laughs through his nose and presses a kiss to the backside of Sonic’s hand. “Of course.” He replies. “Thank you for trusting me.”   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the feedback on the last chap, it's deeply appreciated and warms my lil bi heart. I hope yall enjoyed this one just as much! I loved writing it ;u;.
> 
> See y'all next update!


	12. Late Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, BIG OLE nsfw warning for this chp, just so you know. 
> 
> Second, ty for reading and for the lovely comments on the last chapter! They all warmed my little writer's heart dearly ;u;. TY!

Shadow tries his best to block out the roaring sound of frogs croaking outside his window, but it’s nearly impossible, even with the windows shut. 

He had no idea that a single amphibian could ever be so damn _loud,_ and he lived in one of the most populated cities in Soumerca. He could easily sleep through blaring car horns and police sirens bellowing up from the streets below. For some reason, however, the obnoxious chorus of animal life from outside the beach house was forcibly keeping him awake. 

He doesn’t even know why he tries. It’s not like he’d get much sleep anyway. Call time for regrouping with the HQ of Angel Island was a horrifying four in the morning, and it was already past midnight. All he’d really spent the day doing was waiting for the next step from the division’s higher-ups, wandering around the expanse of the rental he’d been assigned to. It’s entirely too big for one person and he feels oddly lonely in its walls, staying close to the windows and doors for at least _some_ semblance of life other than his. 

This was a bit much, however. 

He turns onto his back for the fifth time and stares at the bamboo ceiling fan as it lazily spins above him. Shadow considers putting on a random movie for some sort of background noise, but he knows it’ll just end up mixing with the sound of the frogs in the _worst_ way possible. 

He sits up in bed, rubbing his face with his hands as he lets out an exasperated groan. He was barely through the first week and he’s already sick of paradise. 

The sound of his phone chiming through the bedroom makes Shadow jolt. His eyes cut to one of his bags from across the room and he stares uncertainly at it, wondering who in Chaos’ name could be calling him this late. 

He figures that it’s probably Vector. Grand Metropolis was nearly four hours ahead of them and he knows the crocodile probably doesn’t have any reservations about possibly interrupting his sleep, especially if he wanted an update on the case. Shadow pulls himself over to the edge of the bed and climbs to his feet, his feet dragging along the wood as makes his way across the room. He digs through his bag and fishes out his phone, blinking at the caller ID as it vibrates in his hand.

 _Incoming Call from (717-409-9091)....._   
  
Shadow’s internal alarms immediately go off. Not only does he not recognize the number, but the area code isn’t from the metro area. It certainly doesn’t belong to anyone he works with, that’s for sure. 

He has no idea what to make of it, and decides to let it ring the first go round. He’s startled when it immediately rings again, further proving his theory that If the person on the other end was really trying to get in contact with him directly, they’d try more than once. 

With hesitant fingers, Shadow accepts the call, bringing the phone up to his ear. 

“...Agent Shadow, speaking.” 

There’s a small gasp of breath on the other end and a bit of shuffling. Shadow’s eyes search around the room for clarity until he hears a familiar giggle echo through the line. 

_“Hi Shads.”_

Shadow nearly drops the phone out of shock. He quickly moves away from the windows and crouches beside his bed, his voice searing as he speaks. 

“ _Sonic_? What in Chaos’ name do you think you’re doing?!” He grits his teeth. “How the hell did you even get this number?” 

 _“A little bat told me.”_ Sonic replies, chuckling nervously. _“She knew I missed you.”_

Shadow blinks a few times and groans as he pinches the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. “Sonic. I’m undercover. This phone line is meant for work-related calls _only._ ” He says. “I can’t fathom that Rouge would take it upon herself to give out private information like this. It’s unbelievably reckless.” 

There’s silence. _“....I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it’d be such a huge problem.”_ Sonic replies. _“But I guess now that I think about it, it makes sense to be completely off the grid. I shouldn’t have asked her about it.”_

Chaos, now _he_ feels bad. Sonic probably didn’t understand the gravity of everything, he probably just assumed that since Rouge gave his work number out so flagrantly that dialing him up wouldn’t be a huge issue. 

In all honesty, he _does_ miss Sonic. It’d been incredibly lonely in duration of his stay, and his small interactions with other resident agents were far from mentally stimulating if not stressful. He hadn’t realized how much he’d grown used to Sonic’s happy-go-lucky antics until they were so blatantly not there, and the hollow feeling it gave Shadow was both foreign and draining at the same time. 

Shadow pauses for a few seconds, and then sighs. “....Hold on.” 

Shadow looks around the room and decides to move to a room with less gigantic windows. He travels down the stairs and into the frigid basement of the house, hulling himself up on the ugly, striped sectional in the corner of the room. 

“Listen to me, Sonic.” He starts. “In the future, when I inevitably go undercover again, you _cannot do this._ Is that clear?” 

 _“Crystal!”_ Sonic replies, a touch too enthusiastically. _“It’ll never happen again. I promise.”_

“Good.” Shadow exhales and sits back against the couch. “You can start by explaining to me what the hell you’re doing up so late.” He begins. “It’s five in the morning over there. Don’t you have class later today?” 

 _“Not until one.”_ Shadow can feel Sonic pouting through the phone. _“Besides, it’s just an art class. It’s not like I’m ever really paying attention it in anyway.”_

“I thought your major was Sports Medicine?” 

 _“It is, but this is general studies stuff.”_ He replies. _“Everyone needs an art credit or something like that. For some reason, I let Amy convince me that ceramics would be a fun class to take.”_

Shadow tugs the throw blanket off the back of the couch and pulls it over his shoulders. “That doesn’t sound boring to me.” 

 _“Okay, but you and Amy are kind of like-minded.”_ Sonic goes on. _“The funnest thing I’ve ever done in that class was sculpt a dick on one of the potter’s wheels.”_

Shadow laughs through his nose and rolls his eyes. “That truly doesn’t surprise me.” 

 _“It impressed my professor.”_ He says proudly. _“But he made me get rid of it. Which sucked, but then again. I know how to do it if I ever want a foot tall ceramic dick in my house.”_

“I’m sure that would be quite the conversation starter.” Shadow chuckles. “You still haven’t explained why you’re awake this late, however.” 

There’s a bit of silence on Sonic’s end but he eventually replies. _“This is gonna sound super gay and sappy, but...”_ He trails off. _“I don’t know. I was trying to fall asleep but I kept getting caught up thinking about you.”_

Shadow blushes. He’d expected the answer of “up late playing videos games” or something of the like, but not that. 

“Oh?” 

 _”I mean, on our date you mentioned that you’d been shot before.”_ Sonic says. _“You can’t blame me for being a little worried.”_

“....Sonic.” Shadow wasn’t aware his voice could be so tender. “I’m fine, I assure you. That happened years ago when I first became an agent.” He explains. “And it came from one of my coworkers mishandling a gun. Not in the field.” 

_“Oh wow, really?”_

“Yes, and it hurt like hell, but I wasn’t hit anywhere vital.” He answers. “I can hold my own just fine. You have nothing to worry about.”

He hears him do just that, ending it off with a chuckle. _“Yeah, I guess you do know yourself better than I do.”_

Just as Shadow’s about to reply, Sonic speaks up again. _“Hey, I’m not sure what type of phone you’re on but, is there any way I could see you right now? I really miss your face.”_

God. Sonic was going to be the death of him.

“....Sure.” 

 He looks around on the coffee table for something to prop his phone up against and settles for a golden metal bowl full of fake fruit. He shakes the blanket from his shoulders before accepting the video call request from Sonic’s end, the chime sounding through the room as he’s met with Sonic’s lowly lit face. 

“Oh hey there.” The blue hedgehog smiles, propping himself up on his elbows. “Fancy meeting you here.” 

“Hilarious,” Shadow says back. “Where ever do you come up with this stellar material?”

“Off the ole’ dome.” Sonic replies. “I consider myself _quite_ the comedian.” 

“Clearly.” 

It’s a bit hard to tell from the poor lighting in Sonic’s bedroom, but Shadow’s almost certain that he’s staring at something. It’s definitely not his face, however, and he narrows his eyes in confusion at the sight. 

“Something interesting on the back of the couch?” 

Sonic blinks and his eyes cut back to Shadows. “What?” 

“You’re obviously fixated on something.” He says. “This print is rather ugly, in my opinion.” 

Shadow gets a few more blinks in response until Sonic cracks a smile, looking away bashfully. 

“Come on, Shads. Don’t play dumb.” He says. “You’re shirtless and you’re hot as hell. Don’t act like you don’t know why I’m staring.” 

Shadow’s very aware, but he’s got the urge to play a bit coy. 

“Is that honestly what you think?” He asks. 

“Duh.” Sonic answers. “You couldn’t tell from that night we were in locker room together?” 

“Please. You might as well have been drooling.” 

“See! You do know what I’m talking about.” Sonic says, giving him a sly look. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you knew what you were doing that night.” 

Shadow shrugs. “To be frank, no. It wasn’t my intention to fluster you. But it was quite entertaining to watch.” 

Sonic laughs softly as a slight blush spreads across his face. It’s a tad difficult to make out in the dim lighting of his room, but it’s a pleasure to see. The camera lurches as he turns over in his bed, moving from a prostrate position to sitting with his legs crossed. He’s not wearing pants, which doesn’t surprise Shadow very much at all. His shirt is so terribly oversized it could be a dress; it’s far from scandalous in any sense. 

Sonic looks around nonchalantly and then back at his phone, his fingers drumming against his knee. 

“So.” He grabs Shadows attention. “It may be a little late to bring it up but...” He looks forward. “You never did answer my question.” 

Shadow gives a confused look. “Which? You’re a fairly inquisitive person.” 

“Oh, you know.” Sonic says playfully. “When we were down in the gym, and I got really bold for some reason.” 

Shadow stiffens. “...Oh, right.” 

“Mhmm.” Sonic says. “‘If I’m being real with you, Shads,” He smiles. “ _I_ really enjoyed it.” 

Shadows not sure whether or not he wants to put himself on the spot like this. He knows the answer, and he knows that Sonic probably wouldn’t judge him for it, but it still feels a bit weird to be so....open.

“....The answer to your question is... _yes_. I did. But—“ He cuts himself off. “Nevermind.” 

“What?” 

“Nothing, don’t concern yourself with it—“ 

“Shadow!” Sonic exclaims, looking incredulously into the camera. “Come on. You literally grinded your dick against my ass and _now_ you wanna be shy?” 

Shadow tenses. 

He does have a point. 

“...I suppose that I’m just not used to being this forward.” He replies. “Even getting to that point took me being drunk out of my mind.” 

“True.” Sonic agrees. “You seem like you might just need a little push.” 

Shadow isn’t quite sure what he means until he sees Sonic’s expression shifts from flirtatious to downright mischievous. His gaze travels back down to Shadow’s torso and a smile pulls at his lips. 

“How about this, I'll be honest with you.” He starts. “The night of the party, when you leaned over and growled in my ear? That made my knees weak.” 

Shadow raises his brows. “Is that so?” 

“Hell yeah.” Sonic replies. “I kept thinking about what you said in the kitchen over and over and—” He bites his lip. “If drunk me were a little _bolder_ , I probably would’ve dragged you back to my room and made you prove it.” 

Sonic knows what he’s doing. He knows it’s a shot in the dark. He knows that it’s forward and Shadow might completely shoot down his advances, but he’s just a _touch_ high and he doesn’t really care. He sees Shadow tense and suck in a breath through his nose, visibly attempting to keep his composure. 

Sonic looks him up and down. “Did you mean it?” 

Shadow has to recenter himself as he blinks. “Mean what?” 

“Did you _mean it_ when you said you’d break me?” He says again, his eyes lingering on Shadow’s torso. “Because I really want you to.” 

“Chaos, Sonic.” Shadow takes in a deep breath, shifting on the couch cushions. “What brought all this on?” 

“Oh, gee, I don’t know.” Sonic scoffs. “You’re sitting in front of me, shirtless and obviously getting hard.” 

Shadow goes red and reaches for the camera, but Sonic scolds him the moment his fingertips graze his phone. 

“Dude, you don’t have to hide it from me.” He says, smiling lustfully. “If I’m being honest, yes I do miss you, yes I’m excited to see you in general. But I’m kinda high, and also _really_ kinda horny.” He admits. “I wanna know how much it’s gonna take to see that other side of you again.”

“....I...” 

Shadow’s at a loss for words. Sonic’s not wrong. He _is_ turned on. He’d thought he was doing a better job of hiding it up until just now. There’s a part of his brain that’s telling him to field off Sonic’s advances and change the conversation topic, but there’s also another, much louder portion that’s screaming to humor him and see where this goes. 

“You really want me to be honest, don’t you?” 

Sonic nods. “Absolutely.” 

Shadow slowly moves his hand away from the couch cushion. “I did mean it.” 

There’s a clear spark in Sonic’s eye, but he keeps his cool.

 “Good to know.” 

Shadow’s hand comes to a stop over his groin while his other free hand reaches to adjust the camera. He angles it slightly lower and hears Sonic suck air in through his teeth at the sight. 

“You’re not a virgin, are you?” 

Sonic shakes his head. “No, I’m not.” 

“I didn’t think so.” Shadow replies, exhaling heavily at the feeling of his own touch. “Clearly you’ve got a dirty mind underneath all that extroversion.” 

“Of course I do.” He says back, smirking. “What? Are you disappointed you can’t ‘deflower’ me or whatever?” 

“No.” Shadow shakes his head. “It’s a good thing, actually. It means I can be rougher with you.” 

That strikes a chord so deep in Sonic’s mind that he visibly twitches. His eyes go wide and he bolts up from his bed, moving his phone to a different, less awkward angle of his bed. It takes Shadow a moment to figure out what the hell’s going on until he sees Sonic hike up the end of his shirt, revealing a situation shockingly similar to his.

“Are we doing this?” Sonic asks, staring intently back at him. “Because I wanna do this, but I wanna make sure _you_ wanna do this.” He says. “And it’s totally fine if not, I just want to check--” 

“Yes.” 

He stops. “Huh?” 

“I said yes, I want to.” Shadow repeats, settling into the couch. “Now stop beating around the bush.” 

Sonic’s words fall off into oblivion. He swallows heavily and stares like a deer in headlights. 

“Well, o--okay then.” He replies. “You go first.” 

There’s a pause, but Shadow follows his instruction. Sonic’s heart nearly skips a beat when he’s blatantly made aware that Shadow’s not wearing any underwear beneath his sweatpants. After a bit of hesitation, Shadow’s on full display and his pants are riding so low on his hips that Sonic’s _sweating._

“Holy fuck.” He croaks. “Good god, Shadow.” 

The camera just barely shows the bottom of his jaw, and Sonic can see a small smirk form on his face. “You seem flustered.” 

Sonic scoffs. “Well gee, I wonder why?” 

“We can stop if you’re nervous--” 

“I’m not---trust me.” He interjects. “I’m just taking it all in.” 

He hears Shadow exhale a breath through his nose before he speaks. 

“Then show me yours.” 

His voice has taken on a low rasp that Sonic’s praying that it’s how he always sounds when he’s turned on. He rocks forward on his knees and slips himself out of his boxers, tensing at the sight of Shadow’s stomach muscles tightening. 

“Sit back, further from the camera,” Shadow tells him, roughly pumping himself. “I want to see all of you.” 

Sonic wasn’t exactly sure how Shadow would behave in sexual situations, but he’s internally thanking Chaos that he’s apparently very assertive. He follows his direction and scoots back a bit on the covers,  shuddering when he takes himself in his hand. 

“Fuck.” Shadow groans. “Do you always make little noises like that?” 

Sonic chuckles. “Yeah, honestly.” He says. “According to what I’ve been _told_ , I’m kind of noisy apparently. I’m sorry if it gets annoying at all--”

“It won’t, trust me.” Shadow interrupts. “Tell me more. What do you think about when you do this alone?” 

“....Well, you, actually.” He admits. “Especially recently.” 

Shadow’s obviously trying to keep his groans to a minimum, but the tension in his abdomen and quickening of his pace tell a completely different story. 

“Elaborate.” He says, his breath ragged. “What specifically?”

“Uh...” Sonic starts. “Well, you look, um. Very strong.” 

Shadow nods. “And?” 

“ _And...”_ He trails off. “Fuck, I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a total freak.” 

“You honestly think I’m going to judge you?” 

Shadow makes a good point. 

“I guess not.” Sonic inhales and tries to relax in his grip. “There’s this big empty wall in my room. I haven’t got stuff to put on it yet, but--” He breathes. “Sometimes, I think about you--um--” 

“Mhmm?” 

Sonic swallows. “Picking me up and fucking me against it.” 

The groan that spills out of Shadow’s mouth is enough to send chills down Sonic’s spine, He stares intently at the camera, watching Shadow’s head fall back against the couch as he jerks himself harder. As much as he’s enjoying the show of Shadow falling apart, he still wants some of the action. He’d started things, after all. It’s only natural that he does what he knows best. 

Be a tease. 

“You like that idea, huh?” Sonic tries to keep his voice steady as he joins Shadow. “It’s right by my door--we’d have to be quiet.” He exhales. “ _You’d_ have to keep me quiet.” 

“That wouldn’t---be a problem,” Shadow says in between breaths. “I’d have ways of shutting you up.” 

That bypasses Sonic’s ears and shoots straight to his groin, earning a rather loud moan. He hunches over his lap as he attempts to string together another complete thought. This was _a lot._ It’s been _years_ since he’d even done anything like this before, and it’s miles better than his first, clumsy attempt freshman year. He feels like he could get punch-drunk off Shadow’s moans by themselves, let alone actually being in bed with him. 

Sonic regains himself long enough for one single idea to pass through his mind. Shadow nearly stops in confusion when he sees Sonic release himself. The blue hedgehog pads around on his knees until he’s facing away from the camera and lets his torso fall back onto the mattress. The shirt cascades down toward his shoulders and Shadow’s left with a sight so enticing he nearly bites through his lip. 

“You like this view?” Sonic says cockily, arching his back. “I thought you might.”

He does, _very much_ so. 

“Stop talking for once.” Shadow growls. “I just want to watch you fall to pieces.” 

“Then keep going. Tell me what you’d do to me.” Sonic pants. “Please--shit--I’m so close--” 

“I’d put a dent in that fucking wall, that’s for damn sure.” 

“Holy _shit--_ ” 

“Hell, with how loud you are?” Shadow grunts. “You’d barely be able to speak by the time I was done with you.” 

Something snaps in Sonic’s mind and suddenly he feels every muscle in his body tightens. Stars burst behind his eyes as they slam shut, his voice crackling out a broken whine as he finishes on the sheets below. He lets out a few more fragmented whimpers as he comes down from his high, chest heaving as his eyes drift back open.

The gravely moan Shadow elicits tears Sonic’s vision back towards the camera. He’s almost entranced as he watches his climax, staring with a slack jaw as white paints his bare stomach. It’s in that moment that Sonic wishes to Chaos that the camera was angled just a bit higher. He _needs_ to see all of Shadow’s face when he comes, and he makes a mental note to make sure he does in the future.

Exhausted breaths rip through Shadow’s chest and it takes a moment for him to come down from cloud nine. Sonic adjusts himself to bring the camera closer again, but grimaces when he sees his own hand. 

“Eugh. Gross.” He snatches a tissue from his nightstand. “Hold on.” 

Shadow follows Sonic’s lead and takes a moment to get himself together, chuckling as he tosses the stray paper towel into the nearby bin. 

“I don’t know why I’m surprised that you’ve got such a vulgar mind.” He says, picking up his phone. “You don’t exactly seem innocent, but I didn’t expect this.” 

Sonic snickers and relaxes against his pillows. “Shads, if there’s anything you should know about me going forward, it’s that I’m kind of a slut.” He says. “I just don’t go broadcasting it everywhere, y’know?” 

Shadow raises his brows and gives an intrigued look, looking Sonic up and down. “Good to know.” 

 

* * *

 

“How far into it are you?” 

Rouge plucks another cube of gouda from the plate between her and Knuckles. She’s struggling to hear him a bit over the chatter from across the bar and the live piano performance happening on the restaurant's small stage, but she persists regardless. He raises his glass from the counter and takes a sip, scoffing as he places it back down. 

“About fifteen pages, So not even halfway.” Knuckle replies. “ Shit, I practically live in GMU’s library. When I’m not trapped at that damn cafe, that is.” 

 “I remember those days.” She chuckles. “I didn’t write a paper for my thesis, though. I spent twelve weeks slaving over a ‘hacking’ software that nearly got me in trouble with my university.” She winks. “They got over it, though.” 

Knuckles raises a brow. “Really? Did it work?” 

“Too well.” Rouge replies, sipping at her sangria. “It took me about three days to get into the school’s ‘secure’ network.” She says. “Long story short, they weren’t happy that I essentially proved that their IT team was useless. But hey, if the shoe fits.” 

“Wow, that’s pretty impressive.” He laughs through his nose. “Any chance you could use that tech knowledge to fry my job’s computer system?” 

“Probably, but I don’t do side jobs for free.” Rouge smiles. “Throw me a couple grand and we’ll talk.” 

Knuckles snickers and reaches for the plate of charcuterie between them. He’s never been to such fancy bar and grille before. Typically if he went anywhere with Sonic and his other friends, it didn’t exactly scream “high luxury”. He’s not complaining, however. He’s more than happy to pick at the bunch of grapes perched on the end of the plate in hopes that their entrees are just as good.

 “Do you know what you’re doing after school?” Rouge looks back over at him. “Not that you’re obligated to have it all figured out. I know I sure didn’t.” 

Knuckles stares for a moment, searching for an answer. “...Not entirely, if I’m being honest.” He starts. “Businesses aren’t really busting down doors looking for Ancient Studies majors, y’know? I’m still making up my mind.” 

“No, no. I completely get it.” Rouge waves a hand. “Trust me. When I got my degree, there were twelve million other piles of shit hitting the fan that I had to deal with first. Don’t rush yourself.” 

“I don’t plan to.” He replies. “Angel Island has some pretty comprehensive history museums, especially in the main citadel. I dunno, I might look for a position there or something.” 

“Well, that sounds like it’d be a fine place to start, but don’t sell yourself short.” She tells him. “You’re clearly very passionate about all this, I’d hate to see all of your hard work go to waste.” 

Knuckles meets her gaze with a tender look. “Thanks.” He sighs contently and grips his glass again. “I would too, to be honest.” 

He’s a little tired of talking about school. Even though it’s truthfully consuming the majority of his free time, it’s nice to have a _little_ break every once in a while. He takes another long swig of beer before speaking up. 

“Any update on the Central City thing?” 

Rouge rolls her eyes at that, scoffing as she leans on the bar. “Chaos. I wish.” She says. “First they told me Central City, now my boss is saying something about Downunda or Chun-nan. I have no goddamn idea.” 

“Jeez.” Knuckles winces. “You’d think a big government agency would have a better hold on things like that.” 

“Yeah, right?” Rouge replies. “I know for a fact that I’m being transferred, I just don’t know _where_ and it’s frustrating as hell.” She goes on.  “I’d like to have things squared away with the leasing office before I have to leave the damn continent.” 

“That makes sense.” He says. “Breaking that lease is gonna be a nightmare, I can tell you that from experience.” 

“I’m praying to Chaos that this relocation is around July, that way I don’t _have_ to break our lease.” She laughs dryly. “But who knows? It could be next fucking year for all I know.”

Knuckles scoffs. “Funny, that’s when our lease ends--” 

He stops short. Rouge’s face goes from mildly frustrated to plastered with horror. Her muzzle goes pale as she looks just past Knuckles’ head, staring in shock at something he can’t see. He furrows his brows and waves a hand in front of her face, trying to regain her attention. 

“Rouge? Are you okay?” He asks. “What’s wrong?”

 

“I can’t fucking believe this.” Her fur stands on end and she rips her head away. “Are you kidding me?!” 

“Rouge, _what_ is going on--” 

“My fucking _boss_ is here.” She whisper-shouts, smacking his arm as he tries to glance over his shoulder. “Don’t look!” 

“I’ll be discreet!” He tells her. “Who is it? The crane?” 

“No,” She shields her face. “The giant crocodile sitting at the end of the bar. The one with four empty glasses around him.” 

It takes him a second, but Knuckles eventually locates who she’s referring to. He’s dressed in a bright button down and a leather jacket that’s definitely a size too small for him. He’s struggling to look at his phone, discernibly having trouble focusing on its tiny screen. He looks like he can’t quite sit up straight either; his elbow’s propped on the counter at an angle that’s almost painful to look at, and Knuckles can instantly tell he’s far past tipsy. 

“Huh.” He turns back to Rouge. “Doesn’t really give me a ‘government employee’ vibe but, hey. What do I know?”

“I can’t believe that of all the bars in Grand Metropolis, he picked _this_ one.” She groans into her hands. “Vector is the most obnoxious drunk I’ve ever met.” 

“You clearly haven’t seen Sonic drunk then.” She deadpans at him, and he shrugs. “What? It’s true. He’s always flirting with someone like he can’t control himself--” 

“ _What the fuck_?” Rouge’s eyes go wide as she looks back down the bar. “Where the hell did he go?!” 

Knuckles peers over his shoulder and he’s bewildered to see that she’s right. The crocodile is nowhere to be found in the spot he once sat. It’s baffling considering how large the guy is, it isn’t like he’d be hard to miss. The moment he turns his head back toward Rouge he jumps at the sight of him towering behind her chair. 

“Um--” 

“ _Wings!_ ” 

She yelps when she feels Vector’s hand slam down on her shoulder, looking up like she’s seen ghost. Vector’s horribly flushed and lurching with each small movement, apparently having trouble standing up straight. 

“What the hell’re you doin’ here?” He asks, a cocky grin on his face. “I thought you were goin’ to some fancy-schmancy dinner joint or somethin’” 

“What does it look like?” She asks, her voice drenched in annoyance. “I’m on a date, Vector.” 

She’s blinking a lot and her lips are pressed into a thin line. If Knuckles knows anything from living with his female relatives, it’s that Rouge is visibly pissed. Her fingers are wrapped so tightly around the stem of her cocktail glass that she’s _shaking_. 

Vector pauses before he looks up from Rouge, putting two and two together as he sees Knuckles’ distrusting expression. 

“Ohh,” He says, squinting. “Is this the guy you were complainin’ about at work?” Rouge elbows him square in the stomach and he lets out a cough, holding his side as he scoffs at her. “What? Ya were!” 

“What are you even doing here, Vector?” She asks, staring up at him. “Don’t you live near Chun-nantown? What on Mobius made you decided to go to a bar halfway across the city?” 

His reaction time is slowed thanks to the alcohol, but he laughs the moment he fully processes her question. “I’m on a date! Jus’ like you, Wings.” Before Rouge can inquire any further, he cuts her off. “Speakin’ of which!” 

Vector makes his way between them, standing at an uncomfortably close proximity. The moment his hand comes down on Knuckles’ shoulder, his mood shifts from mildly unsettled to fully standoffish. He stares in disbelief at his hand and back up at his face, glaring daggers into Vector’s grinning expression. 

“I thought for sure that things were going south from what Rouge was tellin’ me.” He goes on, looking between the two of them. “But look at you two! Seems like ya worked everything out, huh?” 

Rouge grits through her teeth. “ _Vector--”_

“Alright, listen buddy.” Knuckles shakes himself from Vector’s grip. “It’s nice to meet you and all but, as you can clearly see, we’re trying to have dinner in _peace.”_ He says. “Why don’t you give us some privacy?” 

Rouge gives Knuckles a stunned look. Not necessarily because she hadn’t expected that from him, but more so because Vector’s personality isn’t the easiest to go up against. He’s already arrogant without the help of alcohol, let alone with it. 

Vector looks a bit shocked himself. He removes his hand from Rouge’s shoulder and takes a step back, folding his arms across his chest. 

“Huh. Well shit.” He grins. “Y’sure are shapin’ up to be a real gentleman, huh?” 

Before either of them can say anything, he holds his hands up. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” He says, looking over. “Good on you, Nickles. Y’fucked up once but apparently Rouge sees somethin’ in ya. Do me a favor ‘n keep her happy, ey? She’s a real knockout.” 

Knuckles almost comments on name slip-up, but doesn’t get the chance. The second he opens his mouth, a much shorter reptile appears next to Vector, taking hold of him by his arm. 

“Rouge--I’m so sorry.” He looks up at her. “I left to use the bathroom, I didn’t think he’d cause this much trouble.” 

She scoffs in surprise, her eyes darting between the two of them. “Don’t worry about it, Es.” She says, smiling. “Just know you’re filling me in on this whole thing,” She gestures towards the two of them. “When we get to work on Monday.” 

He goes a bit red and lets out a nervous laugh. “I’m guessing he couldn’t keep his mouth shut?” 

“Not a chance, hun.” Rouge waves with her fingers. “Have a good night.” 

Espio doesn’t argue any further. He takes a tighter hold of Vector’s stumbling form and helps guide him over to the door, soon disappearing into the shadows of the bar. Rouge presses her fingers to her temples and lets out a loud groan the moment she knows they're out of sight, embarrassment painted across her face. 

“I am so sorry.” She starts. “Vector’s such an asshole when he’s drunk, it’s like he has no filter--” 

“It’s fine.” Knuckles cuts her off. “It’s not like you _knew_ he was gonna be here. Don’t stress about it.” 

She frowns. “I know, but--” 

“I said, _‘don’t stress about it’,_ Rouge. It’s all good. ” He repeats, smirking. “Besides, I’m just glad to know he agrees with me.” 

She raises an eyebrow. “Agrees with you about...what?” 

He takes another grape from the charcuterie and tosses it into his mouth, smiling knowingly. “That you’re a knockout.” 

Despite her efforts to hide it, Rouge can’t help but smile back. She giggles and pushes his arm lightly, shaking her head at his answer. 

“Very corny, but also very sweet of you.” She says. “Thank you.” 

“Hey, I may not be the most romantic, but I think that was pretty clever.” 

Rouge plucks a grape from the plate and pitches it at him snickering like a hyena as she rolls her eyes. 

“Shut _up,_ you big idiot.” 

* * *

Shadow’s incredibly tired of sitting around. 

He’s not sure whether Vector just wants to fuck with him, or if there was an actual reason for him to spend another week in this tropical hellscape. 

He’s been eaten alive by mosquitoes, sweating nearly the entire mission, and recovering from a bout of food poisoning from the local food. He’s had enough, to say the very least. 

Shadow doesn’t know why the Dowundan division refuses to let him  _ work _ . He knows that different sectors had different ways of handling their cases. He’s  _ perfectly  _ aware that this isn’t his neck of the woods, and that he needs to follow under the direction of Downunda’s sergeant. 

He isn’t a bench warmer, however. 

He’s frustrated, he debates calling and complaining to Vector, but it’s four in the morning where he is. The most he’ll get out of the crocodile at this hour is an earful of swears and a direct order not to contact him this late again. 

It isn’t worth it. He decides that over a mug of cheap, local coffee that he shouldn’t be drinking this late at night anyway. All he’s done most of the day is wait around, moving from room to sweltering room of this stupid beach house in an unsuccesful attempt to cool himself down. It almost felt like being  _ indoors _ was somehow worse than being out in the dangerously high temperatures of Angel Island.

Shadow needs  _ something.  _ Some sort of stimulation- anything at all, really. 

He slips out of bed and onto his feet, wiping away some of the sweat that rolls down his forehead with the back of his hand. His eyes cut to his work phone balancing on the edge of the nightstand and hastily decides to leave it be; he needs a moment  _ away  _ from the frustration this mission is causing him. 

Shadow isn’t quite sure what to do at first- he’s exhausted his options already and doesn’t feel like falling asleep to another trashy rom-com for the fourth night in a row. His gaze wanders over to the gently moving bamboo blinds of the balcony door, and he realizes that this is something he hasn’t done yet. 

Sure, sitting outside and watching the waves roll wasn’t exactly the most  _ riveting  _ activity, but it was a change of pace. His mind was desperate for something he hadn’t had on repeat for the past week and a half. 

He clicks open the complicated lock on the slide and glass door and forcefully pulls it open, pleasantly surprised by the ocean breeze that immediately washes over his face. It’s the first soothing sensation he’s felt since he’d gotten there. 

Shadow steps out onto the balcony and realizes he’d never truly paid attention to the shoreline out back. The moon is enormous for some unknown reason, and it ripples over the deep, teal ocean surface like watercolor. A few low-flying gulls glide overhead and land on the beach, nestling themselves in the sand beside sprouts of tall grass. 

It’s breathtaking, and he almost feels guilty for not noticing it before. 

He takes up refuge on the armchair in the corner, sinking into the cushions as he takes a deep breath of the salty, night air. 

This was nice. 

Despite every other mind-numbing event that had occurred this week, this was actually reducing his stress levels. 

The black hedgehog leans his head back against the headrest of the chair and closes his eyes, peacefully trying to savor the moment. He wants to flood his mind with anything other than his mission, to keep his head from falling back into a pitfall of frustration. He thinks about the lovely cardinal he’d seen this morning on his window sill, the relief he feels knowing he’ll be back in his own bed soon-

The satiating idea that he’ll be close to Sonic again... 

It had been difficult to Shadow’s surprise. He thought he’d be less focused on the moment he reunited with Sonic again. In the midst of all the chaos he’d felt recently, the blue hedgehog was a strange, comforting light- something to bring him out of the fog of his own head on occasion. 

Yesterday’s impromptu phone call still weighed heavy on Shadow’s mind. He had been tentative with just how strongly he’d been coming onto Sonic. He’s worked up a strange fear of coming on too strong too fast, but he won’t lie and say that he’s upset about Sonic’s little stunt. 

It gave him...a lot to think about. 

Shadow bristles as the memories of their call flash through his mind again. He’d been fending them off during the day when he had the chance of getting called in, but it was after midnight. Even though it was possible, it was unlikely that any fantasy he’d conjure up would be interrupted by a work call. 

Shadow glances around the area in front of him, his eyes sweeping from left to right. He doesn’t know why he’s so paranoid. This was a private beach. His rental was miles away from the next and there isn’t a soul that could possibly see what he was considering doing. 

He can’t shake the image of Sonic from his mind, however. It’s building up a familiar warmth in his abdomen and he’s not sure he even  _ wants  _ to fend it off. 

Shadow weighs his options. He could get up, go right back inside and crawl into bed only to sleep poorly through the night, or, he could have just a little relief before jumping into the next day’s events. 

He thinks carefully, and then considers what Rouge would say: 

_ Hell, you’re practically on vacation- cut loose a little!  _

She wasn’t always the most rational with her advice, but it certainly was refreshing. 

_....Fuck it.  _

Shadow leans back in the lounge chair and gently tugs his boxers over his hips, hissing at just how cool the night air feels against him. He inhales deeply as he focuses hard, trying his best to conjure up the mental images he’d saved from last night. 

_ ‘‘I wanna know how much it’s gonna take to see that other side of you again.” _

He tries to replicate Sonic’s voice in his head, trying fervently to paint the devious look on his face in his mind’s eye. It’s tantalizing in a way that Shadow had never anticipated. There’s something about Sonic’s mischievousness that’s thrilling and the black hedgehog wants so desperately to explore how far it goes. 

His grip in his lap tightens and he lets out a strained sigh, his head falling onto his shoulder as he begins slow but pointed motions. He lets his mind wander; it traverses through the gallery of Sonic’s body and the  _ gorgeous  _ facial expression he’d made that night. There was something so enthralling about watching him get worked up, seeing his muzzle get red and his brows wrought with tension. 

Shadow craves Sonic, and he’s blatantly aware of it now. He wasn’t joking. He  _ did  _ want to have his way with him. He  _ did  _ want to watch fall to pieces in front of him. 

And he most definitely wanted to break him. 

Shadow’s pace picks up, his free hand grips at the chipping wood of the chair and digs in when he tightens his grasp. A choked off groan escapes his throat as reaches deep into his memory, focusing on the moment Sonic bent over for him. 

It caught Shadow entirely by surprise and fucked him up in the best way possible. The vision makes his heart race. The thought of being  _ there  _ with Sonic, pushing up that terribly oversized shirt and burying himself deep. He already knew that Sonic was loud, he’d proved that himself. 

Shadow wants to be in  _ control  _ of those noises, however. He wants to hear Sonic whine as he teases the life out of him and hear those beautiful, breathy gasps with every thrust. He  _ needs _ to watch Sonic’s jaw go slack as he fucks him hard, and draw out those heady moans the blue hedgehog gives when he’s close. 

Shadow’s chest heaves. He’s jerking himself mercilessly, relishing in every scrap he can piece together in his mind. He thinks about Sonic’s little fantasy and grits his teeth. 

His motions become more pointed as he tries to replicate the scene in his head. Pinning Sonic’s back against the wall and watching him scream with ecstasy. Feeling the other’s fingers clawing at his back, his legs around his  _ waist- _

“ _ Sonic!”  _

It slips from his mouth and echoes down the beach, only seconds before deep, satisfied groan tears through his teeth. A wave of euphoria radiates up from his lower half as white paints his undershirt, a few, final intense jolts of pleasure coursing through his body. His hand stills and Shadow pants, slowly opening his eyes. 

He must have scared off the seagulls; they’re nowhere to be found as he comes down from his high. He glances around for something to clean up with to no avail, he’d definitely have to shower if he actually wanted to feel clean before turning in for the night. 

It’s the least of Shadow’s troubles in all honesty. He decides a quick, cool shower should be fine. It’d help him come down from how painfully turned on he’d been moments ago. 

He rises from the chair and tugs his shirt over his quills, tossing it in the open balcony door before turning off the outdoor light. 

He needs to see Sonic soon, he might lose his mind if he’s deprived of his touch for this long again.


	13. Rooftops

The moment Shadow smells the familiar scent of fresh cotton in his foyer, he takes a long,  exhausted breath. 

He drags his suitcase behind him and props it up by the door, shaking his jacket off his shoulders as Rouge closes it behind them. She’s still in her pajamas, for the most part. She’d put on jeans just to look a touch more presentable when she’d picked Shadow up from the airport, but she still remained make-up free and bundled up in one of Shadow’s sweatshirts otherwise. 

She’s tired too; it’s barely after six and the whole ordeal of leaving the airport took thirty minutes longer than usual due to people traveling for the holidays. Shadow walks past their hall mirror and notes how visibly tired he looks. The plane ride had been bumpy, there was a screaming child in first class for some reason, and he honestly wants nothing more than to fall into his bed and sleep for three days. 

“You want me to brew some coffee, Shadow?” Rouge asks, surprised when he waves her off. 

“Hell no. The last thing I need right now is something that’s going to make me even more awake.” He rubs forcefully at his eyes. “I’ll take an Ambien, if you have one.” 

Rouge furrows her brows. “Are you really that jet-lagged?” 

“It’s a twelve-hour flight from Angel Island to Soumerca, Rouge.” 

“Ugh, yikes.” She begins fishing through her purse. “Here, start with half. Take the whole thing and you’ll wake up next week.” 

“Honestly, I wouldn’t be opposed to that right now.” Shadow snaps the pill Rouge hands him with ease and dry swallows it, earning a glower in response. “What?” 

“You  _ know _ that’s bad for your throat.” 

“And? Smoking is too, but I still do that.” He starts out of the kitchen. “You’re preaching to the choir.” 

Shadow takes hold of his suitcase again and makes his way through the living room, blinking away the daze as he winces at the sunlight creeping through the blinds. He almost makes it into the hallway before he sees something he can’t quite identify out of the corner of his eye. Shadow narrows his eyes and takes a step back, craning his neck to peer over the couch the back of the couch.

No amount of words can articulate the amount of confusion that Shadow feels upon seeing what’s in front of him. Splayed out across their sofa is an absolutely knocked out Sonic, his face pressed up against the arm of their chair while he clutches one of the stray throw pillows to his chest.  He’s still in his day clothes, which only adds an extra layer of confusion on top of everything else.

Shadow looks up at Rouge with an absolutely baffled look on his face, gesturing widely to the body below him. 

“You don’t have to be quiet, Shadow.” She walks over, coffee mug in hand. “He’s quite possibly the heaviest sleeper I’ve ever met, and that’s after  _ me.”  _

“Why is he on our couch?” Shadow asks. “Why is he even  _ here,  _ first of all?” 

Rouge takes a sip of her coffee. “He came over last night looking for you.” She starts. “I’d told him that you’d be home but then your flight got delayed.” 

“...Did he need something?” 

“Yeah, to see  _ you _ , genius.” Rouge nudges his arm. “He also had a gift with him.” She points over towards a wrapped rectangle by their entertainment center. “Looks pretty big for a college kid budget.” 

Shadow needs a moment to process everything that’s just been said. Sonic’s lying on his couch, practically catatonic, and drooling all over his throw pillow. All of this because he’d come over last night to bring him some poorly wrapped Christmas gift?

“I’m confused.” Shadow rubs his temple. “Did he stay the night?” 

“Basically.” Rouge replies, glancing down at him. “Even though I told him that I wasn’t sure when your flight would get in, he insisted on waiting up for you.” She says. “It was late, and I could see him drifting off, so I told him he could sleep here if he wanted to.” 

Shadow follows her gaze. “And he said yes?”

“Oh, of course.” She chuckles. “He made it until about four before he passed out. I didn’t wanna wake him when I left so, I figured I’d just let you surprise him.” 

Shadow’s dumbfounded by all of this. The fact that Sonic had attempted to indefinitely wait up for him. That he’d actually took it upon himself to bring him a gift despite the concept of Christmas gifts completely slipping Shadow’s mind. He still needed to do some last-minute shopping, now that he thought about it. Christmas was in two days, after all. He’s got more people up consider now other than Rouge and possibly a few of his coworkers. 

Shadow looks Sonic up and down before nudging his leg gently, only recieving a small grumble in response. He turns over on the couch and nuzzles his head deeper into the cushions, letting out a loud yawn. Shadow lowers his lids. He walks around to the end of the couch where Sonic’s head is and snatches the pillow from his arms, swiftly smacking him in the face with it. 

Sonic coughs as he sputters awake, blinking wildly as his eyes dart around the room. It takes a few seconds for him to calm down, realizing that the reason he’d been ripped him so rudely from his dream was standing right over top of him. 

“....Shads?” 

He gives him a knowing look as he nods. “Unless you happen to know another hedgehog with red and black fur.” 

Sonic practically leaps up off the couch. Any semblance of grogginess melts away when he rolls of the cushions, scrambling to his feet to dart around and hug the hedgehog in question. Sonic nearly tackles him and Shadow’s a little taken aback. His arms wrench around Shadow’s torso as he presses his head into his shoulder. It takes a moment, but he eventually returns the hug, gently running a hand along Sonic’s back.

“I’m sorry I dozed off!” He says, pulling back. “I thought maybe the coffee Rouge made me would help me stay awake but, I guess not.” 

Shadow raises a brow. “I thought you hated coffee.” 

“He does. It was mostly milk and sugar.” Rouge chuckles, pulling her purse higher on her shoulder. “I’ll leave you two to have your little reunion in peace.” 

With that, she disappears down the hall. The soft click of her door sliding closed is the last thing they hear before turning their attention back towards each other. 

“What time is it anyway?” Sonic asks, glancing around for his phone. 

“A little after six.” Shadow replies. “I’m sorry you had to wait for so long.” 

“No, no, no. It’s totally fine.” Sonic makes his way around to the entertainment center. “Your couch is super comfy anyway. Besides,” He lifts the gift from the floor. “I wanted to give you this before I leave.” 

Shadow furrows his brows. “‘Leave’? Where are you going?” 

“Back home for Christmas.” He replies. “I’ll only be gone for a little under a week, though.” 

Shadow doesn’t know why it hadn’t occurred to him earlier. Of course, he was leaving for the holidays. His family lived back in Station Square, it only made sense that Sonic was leaving to go spend time with them. It’s a bit of a hollow victory. Shadow’s happy to be home and see him again, but now he’s aware that this happiness is going to be incredibly short-lived. 

“Mhmm.” Shadow approaches him, eyeing the gift in his hand. “Did you wrap this yourself?” 

“Okay look. I’ve never been good at this, okay?” Sonic defends himself. “Besides, I knew you were gonna open it the next day anyway so.” 

He places the gift in Shadow’s hands only to smile when he looks back up at his face. Shadow pulls a bit to gently at the wrapping paper for Sonic’s liking, he’s used to tearing things apart the moment he sees them. With an unnecessarily delicate touch, he manages to finally get all of the paper off. 

And Shadow’s amazed. 

_ It’s him.  _

A painting of him, to be exact. It’s one that he immediately recognizes. The colors are bright and obnoxious with the exception of the black of his fur, The likeness is just as incredible as he remembers; it’s both strangely surreal with the bursts of yellow and red, but eerily realistic with the pointed look in his eyes. 

Shadow looks back up at Sonic, mouth agape. 

“You  _ found  _ Sticks’ painting of me?” He asks. “How on  _ Earth _ did you manage to get a hold of this?” 

“Lemme tell you, it wasn’t easy.” Sonic chuckles. “At first I tried looking around on her website for any contact info but, that kept leading me back to her PR team.” He starts. “I had to bother pretty much every professor in my school’s art department until I found one of them that had a connection with Sticks. Apparently, she’s really good friends with our photo professor--” 

“Uh-huh...” 

“And she was able to give me Sticks’ personal email.” Sonic continues. “It took like, three tries of me explaining the situation to her, but once I sent a picture of you it all came rushing back. Turns out she had the painting in storage.” He runs a finger along the canvas. “You were right, she is super strange. But she’s still really friendly.” He laughs nervously. “Oh, and I might or might not have promised that you’d grab dinner with her after the holidays. That’s all she wanted in return,” 

“That won’t be a problem at all.” Shadow stares at the painting in his hands, absolutely stunned. He looks back up at Sonic with a tender expression, trying his best not to get too wrapped up in the gesture of it all. “Sonic, this is amazing. I can’t believe you went through this much trouble to find this.” 

“Of course I did.” Sonic smiles warmly. “The moment you even mentioned it back at the museum, I knew that I had to at least try to get a hold of it.” 

Shadow takes one last look at the canvas before setting it down against the side of the sofa, turning back to Sonic. “I apologize, I didn’t have much time to get a gift for you while I was abroad, but you can most definitely expect something when you return for the holidays.” 

“Don’t sweat it, Shads.” He replies. “I just wanted to do something nice for you.” 

This kid was going to be the death of him. 

Shadow brings Sonic closer by his arms and wastes no time pulling him into a kiss. Sonic’s a tad unprepared at first, but settles in quickly. His arms move from his sides to wrap around Shadow’s neck, leaning further in an attempt to take back some amount of control. He’s a touch past the point of being bashful; Shadow’s hands find their place in his sides as they continue. Sonic still tastes like the remnants of the coffee he’d had earlier, but neither of them really care. Shadow’s head tilts to the side as Sonic’s dominant side shows itself, feeling lost in the act as his tongue pushes past his lips. 

Yeah, Shadow could get used to this. 

Neither of them realize how long they’ve been standing there until Rouge’s voice bellows down the hall, a slight hint of irritation in her voice. 

“Shadow, can you  _ please  _ take your phone off of airplane mode?” She groans, walking into the room. “Vector keeps leaving me messages and I’m trying to  _ sleep-- _ ”

Her hand goes to her mouth in as she fully witnesses their embrace. The two immediately pull away from each other, looking back with flustered faces.

Rouge hesitates but ends up laughing through her nose. “I’ll tell him that you’re asleep.” She waves as she turns around. “Sorry to interrupt.” 

The two glance back at each other as her door closes again, a faint red hue adorning both their faces. 

 Sonic grins cheesily. “...Can we maybe take this to your room?”

“Sure, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll be awake for much longer.” Shadow admits, letting out a yawn. “I believe the Ambien I took is starting to kick in.” 

Sonic smiles. “That’s cool. I’m still pretty sleepy too.” 

They share a glance before doing just that. Shadow’s correct; Sonic’s over top of him for less than five minutes before he’s knocked out against his pillows, snoring like a bear. Sonic chuckles and rolls off him before kicking off his shoes, curling up next to Shadow’s still body. He falls asleep much quicker than he expects, pressing his head against Shadow’s chest as they both drowse into the afternoon hours. 

* * *

 

“You  _ cannot  _ be serious.” 

The three feel their blood run cold as Sonia pries open the basement patio door, her gazing burning with anger. Sonic makes the terrible decision to toss the lit joint in his hand back to Manic, who hisses at the feeling of the cherry scorching his finger. Tails turns his head away, nonchalantly humming as Sonia peers down over the three of them. 

“Are you  _ kidding  _ me?” She asks. “Our dad and Bernie are literally two floors above us and you three are out here getting  _ high _ ?” She looks over. “I’d expect this from these two, but  _ you _ Tails?  _ Really?” _

Tails glances up, his hands held up. “Okay, look. In my defense, I was peer pressured.” He starts. “Also, your Aunt Misty is here. Every time I talk to her, I swear I have a  _ tiny  _ aneurysm.” 

“Oh please.” Sonia rolls her eyes. “Your parents are upstairs too. You think they’d be happy knowing their golden child is camped out smoking right beneath their noses?” 

“Sonia, chill.” Manic puts out the join on the brick. “I’ve got eye drops. We just wanted to decompress before walking into six rounds of twenty questions with our family.” 

“Eye drops?! That’s not the point—“ Sonia groans and cuts herself off. “You know what. Nevermind. Just make yourselves look presentable before you come upstairs.” She slams the screen door “Uncle Charles is looking for you two.” 

She storms back upstairs with a huff and the three share an unsure look. 

Sonic climbs to his feet and extends a hand to help Tails up, glancing over at Manic. “Why does Sonia seem even more pissy than usual?” 

Manic shrugs, reaching for the patio door. “Beats me if I know. But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s cause she’s up there taking the brunt of Aunt Misty’s interrogation.” 

“We can’t hang out here just a little longer?” Tails whines. “I’m not ready for her to ask me when I plan on getting a girlfriend for the third year in a row.” 

Sonic places a hand on his shoulder. “You gotta face it sometime, little buddy.” He says. “Might as well get it over with.”

Tails groans as they walk inside, pulling the door shut behind them. The moment they’d caught wind of more extended family rolling in, the three had taken it upon themselves to move downstairs. It was far away from the hustle and bustle of the living room and removed enough that the smell of the smoke shouldn’t have bothered anyone. Sonic walks in tandem with his brother and Tails until a chime sounds through the basement, stopping Manic in his tracks.

“Aw shit. It’s Dawn.” He says, looking at his phone. “ I gotta take this. You guys go on ahead. Tell Uncle Chuck I’ll be up soon.” 

He disappears into the far corner of the basement, leaving the two to themselves. Tails raises an eyebrow as he looks over at Sonic. 

“You weren’t kidding when you said she’s always calling him, huh?” 

Sonic shakes his head as he climbs the stairs. “Not at all. Manic’s kind of obsessing over her too.” He says. “He’s really annoyed that he couldn’t go to her family’s for Christmas instead of ours.” 

“He probably just wants to be there in case anything happens.” Tails replies. “Didn’t she have a fall last week?” 

“Yeah, but luckily enough the baby was fine.” Sonic says back. “Manic was freaking out for like, days on end though.”

“I don’t really blame him. I’m not sure how I’d react either if someone told me my pregnant girlfriend fell down a flight of stairs at work.” 

Sonic shrugs and pushes open the basement door. The first thing he’s faced with is the pleasant aroma of his mother’s honey ham and the less pleasant aroma of his Aunt Misty’s perfume. She practically bombards them as they step out of the stairwell, Sonic just narrowly saving Tails from a deeply uncomfortable interrogation about his love life. They stutter through a few more curious relatives on their way to the dinner table; Tails’ mother stops Sonic to ask him about his track escapades and it’s one conversation that he’s not reluctant to have. The moment the two plop down at their massive dining room table, Sonic feels a firm hand grasp his shoulder. 

“Sonic! Miles!” 

 “Oh, hey Uncle Chuck!” He looks back over his shoulder and smiles warmly. “It’s good to finally see you again.” 

“I should be saying the same thing to you.” He pulls out a chair. “Seems like once you run off back to Grand Metropolis it’s nearly impossible to get a hold of you.” 

Sonic chuckles nervously at that, fidgeting with the napkin by his plate. “Well, you know me. Always busy with school stuff.” 

Charles raises an eyebrow. “Is that really all that’s preoccupying your time, Sonni-boy?”

Sonic isn’t sure what he’s referring to until he gives him a sly smirk, puffing at a fake cigarette and tapping at the space just beneath his eyes. It hits Sonic like a pile of bricks, but Charles places a calming hand on his leg the moment he jolts to get up. 

“Easy there. I’m not gonna tell.” Charles slips a hand into his sweater pocket. “I thought you might need this once you three got up here.” 

He places the object in Sonic’s hand so discreetly that he barely even realizes what it is when he does. Sonic carefully tucks the vial of eye drops inside his glove and grins anxiously back at his Uncle. 

“Heh. Is it bad?”

“I’ve seen worse in my day, but still.” He replies. “You and your brother should be a little more cognizant of where you’re blowing that smoke. I kept Jules off the deck for you three.” 

“And I promise you, Uncle Chuck, that it is  _ deeply  _ appreciated.” Sonic juts his elbow out. “Isn’t that right Tails?” 

The fox blinks out of his trance and looks up from the dinner plate in front of him, quizzically looking between the both of them. “What are we talking about?” 

“Oh Chaos.”  Chuck snickers. “He might need those a bit more than you do, Sonni-boy.” 

Sonic knows he’s right and regrets not curbing the amount of hit’s Tails’ had taken earlier. The moment he knows there’s no judgemental adult within his line of sight, he discreetly drops a few in his eyes. He tosses the vial to Tails before flashing his uncle a thumbs up. 

“Thanks for looking out.” Sonic says. “Blame Manic for all this.” 

“Speaking of which,” Charles looks slightly off behind the two, watching as the aforementioned hedgehog comes trudging up the basement stairs. “I haven’t seen you in ages, Manny!” 

Manic glances over out of the corner of his eye, almost as if he’d been hoping he could slip into the room unnoticed. He gives a half-assed smile and accepts defeat, making his way over to the table. 

“What’s up Uncle Chuck?” He asks, returning the hug he’s given. “Everything okay at the lab?” 

“Oh more than okay, things are wonderful.” Charles pats Manic’s arm. “The device we’re working on now is actually music related, believe it or not.” He says. “Maybe you’d like to come take a look sometime when you’re free?” 

At that, Manic chuckles apprehensively. “Well, maybe. I’ve just been really busy lately.” 

“Oh right, with b--”  Sonic cries out when Manic inconspicuously, but forcefully, kicks him in the back of his calf. He gives him an incredulous look as his brother continues, completely unbothered. 

“Yeah, with the band.” He says. “We’ve got a gig at Twinkle Park coming up that we’re rehearsing a lot for. Gotta impress, right?” 

Charles nods. “I suppose so. Just don’t be a stranger now, understand?” 

Manic returns the nod and walks away before Sonic can even say anything. Charles is up and out of his seat at the sound of Aunt Misty mentioning his name and he and Tails are left alone again, Sonic rubbing at his leg. 

“What the hell was that about?” He asks, glancing over at Tails. 

He shrugs in response, slipping the eye drops into Sonic’s pocket. “Beats me. Maybe he hasn’t told him yet?” 

“That’d be ridiculous. Dawn’s nearly six months.” Sonic replies. “Why would he wait this late?” 

“Like I said, I dunno.” Tails says. “But if I’m being honest, I wouldn’t put it past him.” 

Before they can continue their conversation, Bernadette sticks her head in the room to rope them into setting the table. It’s a long and meticulous process, his mother was known for cooking for the holidays as if the world were ending. Despite the modest guest list, the two still find themselves making trip after trip from the kitchen to the dining room, nearly burning their hands on the hot glass dishes Bernie makes them carry out. 

Once everything’s settled she’s finally satisfied with the arrangement, she calls the rest of the family into the room to take their places around the table. Sonic’s lucky enough to keep his seat next to Tails, but grimaces at the fact that Sonia sits directly across from him. He can already feel the waves of judgement radiating off her when they make brief eye contact, Sonia sneering at Sonic’s condescending finger wave. 

Bernie eventually finishes scrambling around the room and takes her seat next to Jules. Dinner is fairly normal after she gives the “okay” for everyone to eat. The older adults at the table go back and forth about rising crime rate in the more run-down parts of Station Square and Sonic focuses on inhaling his mother’s meatloaf. He’s hoping he can  _ maybe  _ get through one family dinner without having to uncomfortably discuss his future plans.

“So, how are things going in medical school, Sonia?” Bernie grabs her attention. “I know last time we spoke, you said things were going well.” 

Sonic gives Manic a knowing look before he rolls his eyes, sighing heavily. He knows this is about to be a long conversation. 

“I’m so glad you asked, Bernie! Things are going even better.” She clasps her hands together. “I just got word from my advisor that from the looks of it, I might be able to start my residency early! I’m so excited!” 

“That’s wonderful news, Sonia! I’m happy to hear that.” Bernie smiles as her eyes cut across the table. “You might wanna take some notes from your sister, Sonic. That’ll be you in a few years.” 

Sonic swallows the lump of food in his throat and laughs weakly. “Yeah. Right.” 

“That is right, isn’t it? You graduate next year, don’t you?” Sonia asks, looking over. “Have you looked into what medical school you’d want to attend?” 

“Uh---a little.” He stutters. “I’m still going over stuff though. I’ve still got a few months to think about it.” 

“True, but it’s better to think ahead.” Sonia says. “You don’t wanna procrastinate like you normally do on this one.” 

“I’m not  _ going  _ to, I’m just still  _ deciding. _ ” Sonic grits out, trying his best to mask his annoyance “I’ll make a decision. Just not right now.” 

“I’m sure Sonia can help with that choice.” Jules puts in, gesturing to her. “After all, she seems to have a pretty good track record.” 

Sonic rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. We know, Dad.” 

“What about you, Manny?” Bernie directs her attention towards him. “Are you still considering going back to school in the spring?” 

Manic looks up from his glass of wine, shrugging as he takes a sip. “Not sure. Maybe if I figure out a way to balance work with it.” 

Sonic furrows his brows, glancing between him and Tails. “Wait, what?” He asks. “How are you gonna do that when Dawn’s due in April?” 

The look Manic gives him could burn a hole through his skull. His eyes go wide and he clutches the stem of his wine glass with enough force to snap it in half. The entire table goes silent, and Sonic realizes much too late that he’s made a mistake. 

“....What?” 

“Nothing, Mom. Sonic doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” 

“Dawn’s  _ pregnant?!”  _ Bernie exclaims, dropping her fork. “And you didn’t  _ tell us?!”  _

“Can we not have this conversation now?” Manic groans, rubbing his temple. “I promise I can explain later.” 

“No, you’ll explain now.” Jules says, staring at his son in disbelief. “When on Mobius did this happen?” 

Manic’s expression lets Sonic know that he’s clearly realized that he’s not getting out of this discussion any time soon. He sighs irritably and looks away, leaning onto the table. “We found out she was pregnant in August.” 

“ _ August?!”  _ Bernie asks, completely in shock. “It’s  _ December!”  _

“ _ Manic.”  _ Jules lets out an exasperated sigh. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner? What did you think was going to happen?” 

“Please. Don’t act like you guys don’t already have enough reasons to think I’m the family fuck-up.” 

Bernie gasps. “Language!” 

“It’s true!” Manic exclaims. “Sonia’s in med school and Sonic’s got a track scholarship while I’m still figuring out what the fuck it is I wanna do with my life!” 

“First of all, you are  _ not  _ a fuck-up. Don’t you dare tell yourself that.” Jules asserts. “Second of all, this isn’t something that you can put off, Manic. Why didn’t you come to us sooner so we could help?”

“Because I don’t  _ want  _ your help, Dad!” Manic raises his voice, earning a stunned look out of his parents. “I’m not a little kid anymore! I don’t need you two coming behind me and fixing all of my mistakes like im seven years old!” 

“This isn’t a matter of fixing mistakes, Manic.” Sonia scoffs from across the table. “They have the right to be concerned when  _ you  _ work at a bar and Dawn’s a bank teller. How in the world do you two plan to afford a child?” 

“We’ll figure it out! Chaos!” He shouts back. “You think Dad and Aleena had everything figured out when they had you? They were my age!” 

“Manic, that’s  _ enough. _ ” Jules interjects. “Don’t talk to your sister in that tone--” 

“Why do you all treat Sonia like she’s untouchable or something?!” He says, shooting her a glare. “Everyone acts like she’s a damn princess! Everything’s been fucking paved in gold for her just because she grew up with her rich ‘congresswoman’ mommy.”

Sonia gasps. “ _ Excuse me?!  _ I’ve worked my ass off for  _ everything _ that I have--” 

“No you fucking haven’t, and you know it.” Manic cuts her off. “Where were you when Mom and Dad almost lost the house? Oh wait, that’s right. You were off in Gascarma with a nanny while your mom drank fucking mojitos by a olympic sized pool!” 

“Manic! What the hell?” Sonic asks, looking at him with horrified eyes. “Chill out! Sonia didn’t have control over that--” 

“Oh will you  _ shut up?  _ You’re no better.” Manic speaks over him. “You’re living it up in some fancy apartment in Grand Metropolis, meanwhile you’re failing two of your damn classes.” 

“What?!” Bernie’s eyes lock on Sonic. “Is that true?” 

“Oh whoops. Did they not know about that?” Manic asks in a mocking tone. “Do they know about that government agent dude your banging too? Or have I said too much?” 

“I said that’s  _ ENOUGH _ .”

Jules’ booming voice makes the entire table go silent. He’s on his feet before any of them even realize it, pointing a fuming finger in his sons’ direction. 

“This is absurd _. _ ” He says through his teeth. “You three are absolutely  _ not  _ going to do this at  _ Christmas  _ dinner.” 

Manic huffs. “Sonic’s the one who started this mess--”

_ “Manic.”  _ The seriousness in Jules’ voice makes him shut up immediately. “We’ll continue this conversation _ after  _ dinner.” 

His eyes linger on his father until it’s clear that Jules is done speaking on the subject. Manic glares up at Sonic while he stares back, eyes narrowed with a hint of betrayal. The table falls silent again. The only thing to interrupt the clinks and clanks of the silverware is Tails’ voice. He tries his hardest to diffuse the awkwardness that’s settled in on the table, and he’s somewhat successful. Once the conversation shifts to Tails’ next engineering competition a bit of the tension lifts from the room. Sonic still cuts his eyes up at Manic however, pursing his lips at the anger he’s currently keeping composed. 

He’d fucked up bad this time, and he knows it.

 

* * *

 

“Can I come out?” 

Manic turns his head away from the night sky and glances back over his shoulder. He pulls his cigarette from his mouth and eyes Sonic as he leans halfway out of the attic window, an apologetic look spread across his face. He wants to say no. He’s still bottling up a bit of resentment from their earlier dinner debacle, but he doesn’t have the mental energy left to field him off. 

“Yeah, whatever.” He leans back against the slanted roof. “I don’t give a damn at this point.” 

Sonic braces his arms against the sides of the window as he pulls himself out, carefully stepping along the shingles to sit down next to his brother. The air is frigid and he’s regretting not bringing a jacket, but he’s beyond the point of going all the way downstairs to retrieve one. He pulls his legs to his chest and rests his chin on his knees, staring up at the moon as dusty, lavender clouds drift by. 

“....Dude, you need to stop smoking Junedas.” He finally says. “I thought you were quitting.” 

Manic lets out a sigh and takes another puff. “It’s not like I’m gonna be able to smoke weed when the baby comes.” He says, exhaling smoke. “I need something to keep me from losing my damn mind.” 

“I guess that’s true.” Sonic says, looking towards the ground. “How bad did they put you through the ringer?” 

Manic gives a dry laugh. “It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it was gonna be, if I’m being honest.” He admits. “They weren’t even really mad. At least not after Dad finally calmed down.” 

“That’s good to hear.” Sonic turns his head. “Dude, I am honestly  _ so  _ sorry. I had no idea you hadn’t told them yet.” He starts. “I guess I just assumed that since Dawn was so far a long that you already taken care of that stuff. I should’ve checked with you.” 

“No, no. You’re not crazy for thinking that. Don’t beat yourself up.” Manic tells him. “I should’ve told them way before this but....I don’t know. I kept telling myself I’d say something and every time I got the chance, I chickened out.” 

Sonic scoffs. “Dude, you’re having a  _ kid.  _ I’d be scared too if I were you. I can’t even imagine what it’s been like for you two.” 

“Already pretty rough, but we’re pushing through.” Manic laughs. “I literally walked out in the middle of my shift when I heard Dawn fell down a flight of stairs. I’ve never driven so fast in my fucking life.” 

“See? It’s that type of shit that scares the crap out of me.” Sonic replies. “You’re gonna be a dad, Manny. That’s insane.” 

“I know, I’m still wrapping my head around it myself.” He says back, glancing over. “You know Mom is pretty much begging me and Dawn to move back with them?” 

“Well, I mean...” Sonic trails off. “I’m not surprised. You guys don’t exactly live in the safest neighborhood. No offense.” 

“None taken.” Manic takes another puff of his cigarette. “We live there ‘cause it’s cheap. It’s not Station Square where every fuckin’ county has a neighborhood watch board.” 

“Would it really be the most terrible thing in the world, though?” Sonic asks.  “Mom and Dad definitely have the extra space, especially with me not being here.” 

Manic purses his lips. He taps a bit of ash off the end of his cigarette and watches as it kicks up in the wind, blowing away into the wintry air. His quills flatten out against the shingles as he tilts his head up, letting out a deep, strained sigh. 

“It wouldn’t be, but...” He closes his eyes. “I’m trying my hardest not to take handouts from them, y’know? I just want to be independent for once in my life.” 

“Dude, accepting help doesn’t make you any less independent.” Sonic pushes him in the shoulder. “If anything, it just means you’re mature enough to know when you need it.” 

Manic laughs at that, raising an eyebrow as he smirks. “You sound just like dad, you know that?” 

“Jeez, don’t say that.” He shudders. “I’ve just been spending a lot of time with Shadow. He’s like, a bottomless pit of life lessons.” 

“Right. Sorry about that.” Manic sits up. “I got really angry and snapped. I shouldn't have put your business out there like that.” 

“It’s cool. Mom and Dad are  _ really  _ adamant on meeting him now, though. So thanks for that.” 

“Wait, so are you guys forreal dating now? Cause I thought you were just testing the waters with this guy” 

Sonic gives a nervous smile and shrugs, gesturing to the air. “Hopefully? I dunno yet.” He answers. “I just hope it does go somewhere. I really like him.” 

“He must be pretty hot then.” Manic chuckles when Sonic elbows him in the ribs. “I’m just messing with you, dude. I hope things work out too.” He looks over. “I hope Mom didn’t chew you out too much over the ‘failing classes’ thing.” 

“She calmed down after I convinced her that I’d retake them during the summer and that everything would be fine.” Sonic groans. “I don’t even know if it will be though. I fucking hate my classes, Manic. I don’t know if I can sit through another semester of Advanced Biochemistry.” 

“What? You?” Manic laughs at the glare Sonic gives him. “Dude, come on. That’s far from shocking.” 

“I’m being serious! I’m freaking out.” Sonic lets his legs fall from his grasp. “What do you even do when you’ve been in college for three years and just now realize that ‘Sports Medicine’ isn’t even really what you wanna do with your life?” 

“Yeaahhh, you never really struck me as the doctor type.” Manic admits. 

“I’m not.” Sonic says. “I just picked something because it was close to sports and Sonia was already doing medicine. I thought it made sense.” He looks over, a terrified look in his eye. “I have to go through medical school after this. Dude! I’m gonna  _ die! _ ”  

Manic narrows his eyes and puts out his cigarette against the shingles, tossing the butt into the wind. “If you don’t wanna do school anymore, why don’t you just drop out?” 

“First of all, Dad would kill me.” Sonic starts. “Second of all, I actually  _ like  _ the track team there. Practice is the best part of my day.” He sighs. “It’s not like I can major in that, though. I swear, if I could just run track for the rest of my life, I’d be in heaven.” 

“....Then why don’t you do that?” 

Sonic furrows his brows. “What do you mean?” 

“Okay, look.” He turns towards his brother. “Listen, I’m not  _ encouraging  _ you to drop out, but if track is  _ legitimately  _ what you wanna do with your life, you shouldn’t waste  _ your  _ time and Mom and Dad’s money on a major you don’t even like.” He says. “You’re the fastest twenty-one year old on the fuckin’ continent, dude. It’d be pretty crazy if you couldn’t at least get somewhere with that alone.” 

Sonic stares out into the night sky, blinking as he processes what Manic’s said. It’s clouded in a fog of living in Sonia’s shadow and keeping up his parent’s expectations, but it still resonates deep in his mind. He couldn’t drop out. He doesn’t have a plan. He barely knows what he’s doing after college, let alone now. 

It’s all too much for Sonic to think about right now, so he shakes the thought from his head. He’d save that mental debate for another day. 

“I’ll think about it.” He breathes. “Just not right now.” 

“Understandable.” Manic chuckles. “Dawn did give me some rad news when she called, if you wanna hear.” 

“For real? What happened?” 

“Nothin’, she just called to tell me she found out the baby’s gender early today.” He smiles. “We’re having a little dude, apparently.” 

Sonic grins, lunging forward to embrace his brother in a hug. “Manic! That’s awesome!” He pulls back. “Any chance I can get a junior?” 

Manic cackles at that, pushing his shoulder. “Please. Dad would short circuit if he found out I named my kid after you before him.” 

“Had to try, right?” 

The two get caught up in a fit of laughter before they hear shuffling behind them. They turn their attention to the attic window as a familiar face comes into view, a contrite look on her face. 

“Hey.” Sonia says, leaning out. “You guys needed some fresh air too?” 

“I dunno if I’d call this fresh.” Sonic jokes. “Manic just blew the world’s smelliest cigarette smoke into it.” 

Manic rolls his eyes, smirking. “We can go inside, if you’re that pressed about it.” 

“No, wait.” Sonia interjects. “I wanted to know if I could talk out here with you two.” She smiles. “Just like old times, I guess.” 

The memories are faint in Sonic’s mind, but within reach. He remembers the day they’d discovered that the attic window opened, how Sonia nearly blew a fuse when she’d found him and his brother playing around on the roof, the late summer afternoons that they’d brought popsicles up to the roof and watched the sunset. 

It’s not summer, and they definitely don’t have any popsicles, but he’s still relishing in the thought of it. 

Sonic looks back over his shoulder and gestures with his head.

“Come on up and join the party, Sonny.”   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope yall enjoyed the chaos lmao. Lemme know what you cool cats think!


	14. Sweets

“Can I take a break yet?” Sonic leans over onto his elbow, groaning as he holds a jittering mixer in his opposite hand. “My wrist is getting tired. I’ve been standing here for like, an hour.” 

Shadow looks up from the heavy cream he’s pouring and furrows his brows at Sonic, twisting his face in confusion. “You’ve quite literally only been standing there for ten minutes.” 

“ _ Exactly!”  _ Sonic groans. “This is the longest I’ve ever cooked in my life.” 

“I sincerely hope that you’re exaggerating.” Shadow rolls his eyes. “Then again, I did  _ watch  _ you pour nearly a handful of salt into boiling pasta yesterday. Clearly you don’t spend much time in the kitchen.” 

“You told me to put some salt in it!” 

“ _ ‘Some’  _ being the operative word here, Sonic.” He asserts. “Not enough to send you into cardiac arrest.” 

Sonic huffs and lets his head fall onto the counter, groaning as he switches the mixer to a different hand. “Just please tell me this recipe isn’t going to take literal decades to finish.”

Shadow lowers his lids. “You wanted me to show you how to make pavlova, and now that I’ve finally put aside the time, you’re complaining?” 

“No, no, I’m not!” Sonic jumps from the counter. “I’m just not used to this. Normally I order food and I’m eating it within five minutes. Cooking just seems really complicated for no reason.” 

“It may seem that way because you don’t know what you’re doing.” Shadow replaces the cap on the carton beside him. “Once you learn the basics, everything else comes with time.” 

“But am I  _ willing  _ to set aside that time?” Sonic taps Shadow’s nose. “ _ No.”  _

He rolls his eyes and returns to the task at hand. Luckily, they’d had the kitchen to themselves for most of the evening. Rouge and Knuckles had absconded somewhere for a few New Year’s Eve festivities, Shadow could only assume that Rouge was most likely house hopping between her friends’ parties, all while dragging Knuckles along for the ride. He wasn’t complaining by any means, he’s almost certain that they’d be back before the end of the night, most likely with some sort of wine knowing Rouge. 

Shadow sets aside the bowl of cream and begins tending to the fruit they’d picked up for the recipe. He looks back over his shoulder as he walks to the sink, bumping on the water with his elbow. 

“So, I’m assuming dinner with your family went well?” He asks, tentatively rinsing a few strawberries. “You seemed apprehensive about it beforehand, at least from what you told me.” 

Sonic blinks. “Well, it definitely got off to a rocky start, I’ll say that.” He begins. “Have I mentioned that Manic’s girlfriend is pregnant?” 

Shadow raises his brows. “No. You haven’t, actually.” 

“Well, she is. About six months by now.” Sonic stares into the contents of his bowl. “And apparently, unbeknownst to  _ me _ , he hadn’t told anyone yet.”

“‘Anyone’, as in...?” 

“No one besides me and Tails.” He nods at the concerned look Shadow gives. “Yeah, I know.” 

“That’s....alarming.” Shadow says. “However, you’ve framed this as if you might have had a hand in changing that.” 

Sonic gives a guilty look. “ _ Possibly...”  _

“What did you do?” 

Sonic sighs and tells Shadow the abridged version of events. The scuffle at dinner, his parents chewing  _ both  _ of them out, his sibling pow-wow on the roof of their house. It seems convoluted when he explains the situation, but Shadow’s understanding expression leads him to believe otherwise. 

“It seems like that situation may have been for the best.” He says, shaking the excess water off his hands. “From what it sounds like, who knows when your brother would’ve told your parents? I think your intervention may have been necessary, in all honesty.” 

Sonic shrugs. “I don’t know dude, it’s complicated.” He starts. “On one hand, I can’t wrap my head around why he’d wait so long to say something about a  _ whole kid _ , but...” He sighs. “At the same time, I have no idea how I’d react in that situation.” 

Shadow eyes him. “What, having a child now?” 

“Well,  _ yeah.”  _ He answers bashfully. “We were in high school like, four years ago. It feels like we were staying up talking about video games and shit just yesterday.” He stares off at the wall. “I literally overheard him and his girlfriend talking over the phone about what kind of crib to buy. It’s  _ insane _ to me, Shads.” 

“Well, life doesn’t always wait for you to catch up.” Shadow makes his way back over to the island. “I will admit, twenty-one is quite young for all this. From what you’re telling me, however, it seems like things are going well for him.”

“Now they are, since he finally agreed to let my parents help.” Sonic clarifies. “I just can’t fathom having a kid right now.  _ I  _ still feel like a kid sometimes! I eat Frosted Chocodiles for breakfast, for Chaos’ sake!” 

“Well for one, you should stop, because that cereal is nothing but sugar.” Shadow begins. “And second, it’s as I said before. Occasionally, things just happen in our lives that we can’t really account for or anticipate. The most we can do is adapt and make an effort to do our best.” He says. “Luckily, it seems like with the help of his family, your brother is doing just that.” 

Sonic turns the mixer off and looks over at Shadow, the look in his eyes evident that he’s processing what he’s just heard. He shakes it over the bowl and sets it down on the granite, nodding lightly. 

“Yeah. I guess you’re right.” He smiles. “You’re just chock full of wisdom, huh?” 

Shadow chuckles. “I suppose. I’ve had a lot to reflect on.” 

Before he can respond, the sound of the oven beep blares throughout the room. Shadow’s eyes cut to the bowl in front of Sonic and he gestures his way. 

“Oh good, it preheated quicker than I’d thought.” He says. “Are the egg whites ready?” 

Sonic blinks. He looks at Shadow, and then down at the bowl, unsure of how to respond. He takes a single finger, dips it in, and recoils at the taste of its contents on his tongue. 

“Eugh, gross.” 

Shadow gives him an incredulous look as he wipes out his mouth with a nearby napkin. 

“Why would you  _ taste  _ it?” Shadow asks, his brows furrowed. “What on Mobius compelled you to do that?” 

“You asked me if it was ready or not!” 

He rubs his forehead. “I meant were they  _ beaten  _ well enough, I wasn’t inviting you to sample it.” He says. “Have you never made a meringue before?” 

Sonic scoffs. “Yeah. The guy who eats gas station chili dogs for breakfast, lunch and dinner has totally made a meringue before.” 

“Chaos.” Shadow takes the bowl from him, examining it on his own. “It’s ready. Grab the pan from the stovetop.” 

Sonic follows his instruction and decides from this point on, it’s better to sit back and just listen. He watches as Shadow spreads the mixture across the metal with the hand of a professional chef, pulling the oven open with one hand while placing the pan in with the other. He uses a nearby hand towel to wipe off his fingers and gestures with a nod. 

“Start chopping some of  the fruit.” 

Sonic obliges. He carefully slices everything as to not have another bloody kitchen mishap, sneaking the occasional piece of fruit into his mouth despite Shadow scolding him not to. It feels like eons to Sonic once everything seems to be in order, and he exhales as if he’s just done a full workout routine once it’s over. 

“How do you  _ do  _ this?” Sonic places the knife down. “This is so much _ work _ . I’d rather just order something and call it a day.” 

“Ordering food adds up, Sonic.” Shadow corrals the fruit into a single bowl. “You should know that, especially as a college student.” 

He shrugs, picking up a cube of fruit. “A lot of times Knuckles sneaks me food from the cafe downstairs so, it evens out.” He tosses the piece into his mouth. “ _ Mmm _ , I love kiwi.” 

Shadow gives in and takes a piece, casually taking a bite. “It’s a bit tart for my tastes but, not entirely bad.” 

“It’s such a cool fruit. Like, what other fruit makes your mouth go all fuzzy like that?” 

Shadow gives a bewildered look, narrowing his eyes as he turns his head. “What?” 

Sonic steals another chunk. “You know, when you eat kiwi and your tongue goes numb? It’s like pop rocks or something.” 

“....No?” Shadow hesitates. “What are you talking about?”

Sonic laughs. “Come on, Shads. You know what I mean.” 

“I can assure you that I do not.” Shadow’s expression becomes mildly concerned. “Are you sure that you’re not  _ allergic _ to kiwi?” 

“Of course I’m sure! I used to eat it all the time.” He pops the piece in his hand into his mouth, swallowing it with ease. “See? Totally fine.” 

Shadow stares with doubt in his eyes. He’s almost certain that Sonic’s wrong and that he probably wouldn’t be this chipper within the next ten minutes or so, but he chooses to let it go. He obliges him and lets him finish dicing the remnants of fruit on the counter, wincing a bit whenever he downs another piece of kiwi. Shadow decides its best if he takes over for now, he’d been adamant on setting up a charcuterie board for later and he doesn’t want Sonic devouring everything before Knuckles and Rouge even get the chance to look at it. 

Sonic’s essentially confined to the living room. He huffs and flops down on the couch, tumbling back over the arm of the chair. So what if he liked to snack? He’d maintain  _ some  _ amount of self-control, at least until anyone else arrived. He tries his best to grab Shadow’s attention without being too annoying. From singing somewhat out of tune to tossing his throw pillows up and down in the air, Sonic’s annoyed to find that Shadow’s focus is hard to break. 

His eyes search the room, stopping on the blinking blue light in the corner of the living room. Sonic glances back at his phone and immediately flips through the settings, desperately hoping that light signifies what he thinks it does. The moment he hears a chime from across the room and sees Shadow’s head whip up from the counter, he knows he’s succeeded. 

_ “Bluetooth Connected.”  _

“Yes!” Sonic fumbles through his music. “Oh, we’re about to have some fun, Shads.” 

“Sonic, I swear to Chaos--” 

“I have good taste in music, don’t worry.” He waves him off. “I’ll put on some Brit the Kit. You know, from the first time you ever gave me a ride.” 

Shadow’s not too keen on having his silence interrupted, but in all honesty, he doesn’t loathe the artist Sonic’s referring to. If anything, they had been the one suggestion Sonic had given him that he’d actually paid attention to. The low vibrations of a bassline thumping through sound familiar to him as Sonic hops up from the couch, holding his phone to his mouth as a faux microphone. 

Shadow gives a dissatisfied look as Sonic sings the lyrics, stepping in rhythm around an array of furniture. He tugs on Shadow’s shoulder after making his way back over to the kitchen, passionately belting to the empty crowd of Shadow’s living room. 

_ “You could be the one, you could be my favorite. We could be in love if we keep dating--”  _

“Find the note, Sonic.” 

_ “I’m doing my best, shut up,” _ Sonic carols back, grabbing him by the wrist. “Dance with me!” 

“Oh no--” 

Shadow jolts when Sonic tugs him away from the counter, pulling him away from the island and out into the expanse of the living room. He tries his best to remain aloof at first, staring at Sonic with lowered lids as he sways in front of him. It isn’t until he’s shoved back onto the chaise lounge chair by their balcony that he’s suddenly hyper-aware of everything Sonic’s doing. 

Sonic climbs over top of him, continuing to serenade him as he straddles his waist with his thighs. The look in his eye is almost devilish. Sonic leans in close as the chorus flows through the room, rocking his hips to the beat. 

_ “Baby, won’t you let me ride? Tell me what you like. I can’t read your mind, bad as I want to...”  _

Shadow’s suddenly burning hot. Sonic’s admittedly  _ very  _ good with his hips, and Shadow’s almost certain that Sonic knows what he’s doing. The music’s languid and sensual and doing things to him that hadn’t anticipated. Not to mention the pressure of Sonic grinding down against him. 

The moment Shadow knows he can probably feel him through his jeans, the look in his changes like a flipped switch. Sonic pauses for a moment, staring down at where their waists meet. 

“Uhh...” He swallows. “Are you...?” 

“You can’t be surprised,” Shadow says. “What did you think was going to happen?” 

“I don’t know! I was just trying to get your attention.” Sonic laughs nervously. “Seems like I’ve definitely got it now though, huh?” 

“Apparently.” Shadow laughs through his nose. “Don’t start things you can’t finish though, Sonic.” 

“Who said I wasn’t going to finish?” 

Shadow looks a bit taken aback. His eyes travel up and down Sonic’s figure, eventually landing back on his eyes.  

Sonic waits about five seconds before making his move. He tosses his phone to the ground as he leans down to capture Shadow’s lips with his. It’s vastly different from their past kisses. They’d had a few makeout sessions post their first date, none of which had been filled with such unwavering lust. 

Sonic groans when he feels Shadow yank him closer by the collar of his shirt, clearly fighting him for control over the kiss. He’s adamant on keeping the lead, however. He pulls away hard enough to release Shadow’s grasp, fidgeting with the buttons on his shirt as he tries his best to quickly undo them. He bites his lip at the sight of the white fur adorning Shadow’s chest and attempts to stay focused on the task at hand. 

The moment Sonic’s lips meet Shadow’s neck, he elicits a sound Sonic didn’t even realize he was capable of making. It’s a mixture between a grunt and a moan, and Sonic’s determined to hear it again in the future. He’s rusty and admits that it’s been a while since he’s had this much control. From the ragged breaths Shadow’s emitting, however, Sonic knows that he’s accomplishing something, in the very least. 

He kisses and sucks at the crook of Shadow’s neck, savoring the low yelp he lets out the moment he bites down. Shadow’s fur is too dark for anyone to notice a hickey anyway, Sonic thinks. Why  _ not _ go all out?

As soon as he’s satisfied with the work he’s done on Shadow’s neck, Sonic gradually begins scooting himself down the lounge chair. Shadow’s left confused for a brief moment until he sees Sonic undoing his belt, his eyes locked on his. 

“Sonic, you don’t have to--” 

“Excuse me?” Sonic scoffs, fiddling with his zipper. “I  _ want  _ to. You think I’d get you this worked up just to bail on you in the home stretch?” 

Shadow purses his lips. “....No, but--”

“Unless  _ you _ don’t want me to.” Sonic pauses. “Do you?” 

Shadow weighs the options in his head. One the one hand, there was definitely a fifty percent chance that Knuckles and Rouge would arrive home earlier than expected, and they’d have to deal with the aftermath of being walked in on. On the other hand, however, Sonic’s initiative is so alluring that it’s overshadowing his better judgment. 

Shadow looks down and Sonic’s hands and back up at his eyes, giving a small nod. 

“Go ahead.” 

Sonic barely hesitates. He yanks down Shadow’s dark jeans so forcefully it jerks his hips down against the cushion. He doesn’t know why Sonic’s enthusiasm is surprising, maybe it’s just the lack of sexual interaction he’s had in general in the past few years. Either way, he’s not really complaining. 

The way Sonic bites his lip when he lays eyes on Shadow straining against his boxers makes his stomach muscles tense. What  _ was  _ it with him? Why did he have so many subtle ways of turning him on? His forwardness, his confidence,  _ everything else _ . How was it that he’d kept him guessing in so many different ways?

Shadow stops dwelling on it the moment he feels Sonic’s hand against him. He’s doing what he does best again and teasing him through the fabric of his boxers, locking his eyes on Shadow’s. 

Shadow’s trying his best to keep his composure, to not show  _ too  _ much of a lack of control. If Sonic kept this whole act up, however, he knew it was only a matter of time before he crumbled to pieces.. 

Sonic’s gaze is overflowing with lust and its fucking with Shadow’s head. He maintains eye contact as his head sinks lower, hungrily staring as he finally tugs Shadow’s boxers over his hips.

It takes almost all of Sonic’s restraint not to comment on what he sees, but he manages to keep the act going a little longer. Shadow bristles against the exposure to the living room’s cold air and sucks in air through his teeth as he feels something hot and wet against him. 

He breaks eye contact and props himself up on his elbows, head falling back against the couch pillows at Sonic’s mouth on him. It’s been too damn  _ long _ since he’s done anything like this, he thinks. He’d missed the overwhelming pleasure of it all, him closing his eyes and trying his best to focus on something other than the stars behind his eyelids. 

Shadow’s hands slip down and tangle in Sonic’s quills once he finds a comfortable pace, his eyes open when he feels Sonic pull off briefly, slightly out of breath. 

“Look at me.” He says, wiping his mouth. “The look in your eyes when you get turned on. It’s really hot.” 

Shadow almost doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t get the chance to muster a response before Sonic dives back down, clearly wanting to show off. It’s far from the first time that he’s done this and he’s learned a thing or two from past encounters to know how to rile someone up. 

His hand slips from aiding his movements to braced on Shadow’s thigh, squeezing tightly as he goes down further. 

_ “Fuck.”  _ Shadow groans and tightens his grip on Sonic’s quills, jolting a bit at the sensation. “ _ Fuck _ , stick out your tongue--” 

Sonic hesitates, but indulges him. The guttural moan Shadow emits in response is enough to send Sonic from being mildly aroused to tenting in his joggers. He doesn’t want to focus on that right now, however. He wants to fixate on Shadow, to draw out every last sound he can before letting him reach his peak. It’s a  tall order, but not one that Sonic doesn’t think he can handle. 

A few tears pull from his eyes when he pushes himself as far as he can go, coughing a bit as he feels Shadow tense up. 

“ _ Good fucking God—“  _

Sonic gasps for air once he pulls off, wiping the wetness from his face as he pants. He’s barely two seconds from finishing what he’d started before an uncomfortable sensation radiates out from the crook of his shoulder. He twitches, unsuccessfully shaking off the feeling. He holds out as long as he can before he’s scratching relentlessly at his neck and shoulders, finally catching Shadows attention as his eyes fall back open.

“What’s wrong--”

 His stare goes wide before he can finish his sentence. Sonic’s expression shifts into one of concern when he sees the startled look on Shadow’s face. 

“What?” He asks, scratching harder at his chest. “Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“.....So.” Shadow starts, slowly hiking up his jeans. “I think you actually  _ are  _ allergic to kiwi.” 

Sonic’s confused until Shadow gestures to the mirror on the wall beside them. He rolls off the lounge chair and stumbles over to it, jumping back at his own reflection. 

“ _ Holy shit. _ ”  

Sonic touches his cheeks, staring in disbelief. He looks as if he’s squeezed  _ gallons _ of lemon juice in both his eyes. His irises are surrounded by a startling amount of red and the area under his eyes are swollen and puffy. Sonic tugs at the collar of his shirt, barely seeing the red blotches peppering his neck and slowly spreading up to his muzzle. 

He turns back to Shadow who’s still a tad alarmed and fastening his belt buckle as he stands from the chair. 

“Can you breathe alright?” He asks. “Do you think you need to go to the hospital?” 

Sonic touches his throat and shakes his head. “No, no, I’m fine.” He scratches. “Just really itchy. And my eyes burn a little.” 

“I don’t believe I have any antihistamines in the apartment,” Shadow looks towards the door, swiftly moving to pick up his coat. “Just wait here, I’ll run to the pharmacy across the street—“ 

“What? I can go with you, I’m not dying—“ 

“I need you to stay and make sure the cake doesn’t burn.” Shadow picks up his keys. “Besides, it looks like your eyes might swell shut. I’d rather not have you wandering around the streets like a lost dog.” 

Sonic closes his mouth. He has a point. He’s not happy about it, but he has a point. 

“Fine.” He flips back on the lounge chair. “But as soon as I’m better, we’re finishing what we started.” 

Shadow shakes his head. “I doubt that we’ll get the chance when Rouge and Knuckles come back.”

“Does your room not have a lock?” 

He glowers. “We can finish this conversation  _ later. _ ” He reaches to open the front door. “Stay put, I’ll be back soon.” 

It swiftly clicks shut and Sonic rolls over onto his side, trying his hardest not to scratch skin raw. It’s an incredibly dumb situation and he’s mad that he single-handedly got himself into it. 

It doesn’t take incredibly long for Shadow to return, no more than twenty minutes. By that time he’s stripped off his GMU sweatshirt to scratch mercilessly at his torso. Shadow’s much attentive than Sonic had first anticipated he’d be. He’d even picked up a bit of aloe vera to stop him from clawing his skin off. It’s cold and strangely intimate as Shadow helps him apply it along his back, but not uncomfortable like it would one might think. Sure, there was definitely a gentler side underneath his initial standoffishness, but the amount of compassion that Shadow starts showing him in almost jarring. 

After down a few pills, he still keeps a watchful eye on Sonic, batting away his hand at any attempt he makes to itch at his fur. He takes over finishing the cake while Sonic watches from the kitchen island, commentating like judge in a cook-off. The end result is just as beautifully appetizing as the version he’d brought to their friend’s giving dinner, and luckily they’ve gained some company by the time it’s complete. 

Rouge re-enters the apartment with a fancy bottle of wine, as expected. Knuckles ends up trailing behind her with a few wrapped plates stacked in his hands. They’d clearly been bouncing around the city during the night and snuck a few bits of food out to enjoy later on. 

Sonic’s reactions almost entirely clear up except for the redness in his eyes, which startles both of them when they first make eye contact with him. Sonic loathsomely recounts the earlier events of the day only to earn a fit of hysterics from Knuckles. He glares at first, but can’t help breaking into a smile when Knuckles lets out a particularly loud laugh. 

Rouge corrals them out onto the terrace when the clock gets close to midnight. The building overlooks the celebration going on in Hexaco Park and the four pour a few celebratory glasses of wine as they hear the countdown from the crowd below. 

The moment the clock strikes midnight, the sound of bursting fireworks booms through the night sky. Knuckles catches Rouge’s eyes for a split second before she’s yanking him down into a kiss, surprised at her passion despite them not being alone. Sonic looks over at Shadow with a devious smirk on his face, not giving him the chance to back away when he goes in for the kill. 

For once, Shadow doesn’t jump at his contact. He almost immediately relaxes into the kiss, smiling tenderly as they pull away from each other. It’s at this moment that Sonic realizes he’s desperate for something else from Shadow.

He needs to see him smile like this  _ way  _ more often. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, thanks for being patient! Hope you enjoyed and see you all in two weeks!


	15. Balconies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT -- A small update was added to the end of Chapter 12, in case anyone would want to check it out.

“ _ Knuckles,”  _ Rouge tries to hide her smile as she bats him away with little effort, laughing under her breath. “I’ve got a friend to meet after this. We don’t have time for—.” 

“We don’t?” He presses a kiss to the base of her neck. “You came pretty quick last time--” 

She looks back over her shoulder, lids lowered. “You just have to toot your own horn, huh?” 

“Of course I do.” Knuckles laughs through his nose. “Besides, you love it when I brag.” 

“Do I now?” Rouge says, squeezing an unknown gel into her hand. “Funny. I hadn’t realized.” 

As much as she  _ did  _ want to indulge him right now, they legitimately didn’t have the time. The only reason why she’d suggested they shower together was because they  _ both  _ had places to be later this evening, and it made more sense to kill two birds with one stone. 

Besides, she’ll admit, she was never opposed to getting the chance to oggle at his chest for a while, even if it meant fielding off his hormones for a bit. 

Rouge brings her hands to her face, bubbles forming the moment the scalding water runs down her cheeks. Knuckles scoffs, narrowing his eyes while she massages her skin. 

“You’re washing your face again? Didn’t you do that before you got in the shower?” 

“That was a pre-cleanse,” She turns her head slightly, blinking the water out of her eyes. “This is a  _ moisturizing  _ cleanser.” 

“A pre-cleanse?” Knuckles gives a confused look. “What does that even do?” 

“What does it  _ sound  _ like it does, Knuckles?” 

“Don’t act like I’m supposed to know.” He snaps, gesturing to the array of bottles scattered around Rouge’s bathtub. “I have no idea what half this stuff even is.”

“The only thing you need to worry about is this.” She reaches over and tosses him the bar of soap from the dish. “Leave the beauty routine to me, hun.” 

Knuckles rolls his eyes and leaves her be, taking this time to focus on actually getting clean. He’s been so distracted by trying to court Rouge that he’s forgotten that yes, he  _ does  _ have to be on campus soon, and he  _ does  _ have to sit in a lecture hall for three hours with one hundred other students. It’d be heinous to force anyone to sit next to B.O. for that long, he’d learned that the hard way during the first few classes. 

He trades the soap for one of the several bottles lining Rouge’s shower. He squints hard, bringing it as close as possible to his face.    
  
“Is this shampoo? Or body wash?” 

She turns away from the water, blinking the excess out of her eyes. “You can’t read it?” 

Knuckles shakes his head. “No, I don’t have my contacts in.” He says. “This is practically gibberish to me.” 

Rouge furrows her brows, turning completely around to face him. “You wear contacts?” 

“Yeah, but I couldn’t find them this morning.” Knuckles replies. “I tore up the apartment looking for them but, I don’t know. I probably knocked them across the room while I was sleeping or something.” 

“How--” She pauses. “Actually, I don’t even know why I’m asking that. You sleep like you’re in a fight.”  

“ _ Exactly _ .” He affirms. “And  _ because _ of that, I’m blind as a--” Rouge narrows her eyes, and he corrects himself. “Sorry.” 

“It’s fine.” She replies, leaning back to let the water run over her fur. “You don’t have glasses?” 

Knuckles makes a face and looks away. “I  _ do, _ but....” 

“But...?” 

Rather than try to explain, Knuckles takes a few steps back. He reaches his hand beyond the shower curtain and feels around the sink for a few seconds, pulling it back in when he grips his phone. 

“What are you--do you  _ want _ your phone to get wet?” 

“I do this a lot, don’t worry.” He keeps his distance from the water, tapping at his screen until he finds what he’s searching for. “Here, look.” 

Rouge leans out of the stream of the shower to take a closer look. Her eyes go wide and her lips pull into a thin line, trying her best to mask the smile that desperately wants to show itself. It becomes immediately clear as to why he’s hesitant to wear his glasses. He might as well have had two magnifying glasses strapped to his face and she’s trying her hardest not to laugh. 

“Oh my  _ God. _ ” She looks up at him. “You really  _ can’t  _ see, can you?” 

“Go on and laugh, I know you want to.” He places his phone back on the counter. “You see what I mean now?” 

She nods, failing to hide her snicker. “Yes. I do. But,” She clears her throat. “If it’s any consolation, you look like an intellectual. Distinguished, even.” 

“Yeah, yeah, save it.” He scoffs. “I’ll settle for being blind for a day or two. I’d rather do that then walk around with those fucking goggles on.” 

“Don’t you have class later?” 

He shrugs. “Yeah, but I’ll manage. I’ll just sit close to the front.” 

Rouge opens her mouth to say something but closes it instead, brushing off her urge to rebuttal. “Hey, that’s your decision, I suppose.” She takes the bottle from him. “Speaking of school, how did your last meeting with your advisor go?” 

Knuckles groans loudly and steals some of the shampoo she squirts into her palm, sudsing it through his own locs. “Annoying. She keeps trying to convince me to go do field study in Yurishia next semester.” 

Rouge lights up. “Knuckles! That sounds like a great idea! Why don’t you want to go?” 

“Take a look at my bank account and you’ll find the answer.” He tells her. “Who’s gonna pay for that plane ticket? Or housing? Cause I can tell you right now, it ain’t gonna be me.” 

She frowns. “I thought you got financial aid?” 

“Yeah, I do. All of it’s going towards the apartment.” He replies. “Hence, why I’m busting my ass. I thought I told you this already?”

Rouge goes quiet. He definitely has told her this before. She thinks back to the night they first ever really talked one on one with one another. It feels like ages ago by this point, but she still feels remorseful for letting it slip her mind.

It’s strange. It wasn’t until this moment that she’d been so blatantly aware of how complacent she’d become in her new life. That is, she remembers being in Knuckles’ place. Having to wait tables during school and pick up a second job after just to support Shadow and herself. How it had been a living nightmare and how thankful she is that not in that place any longer. 

When she’d applied to work for the agency, it had been a shot in the dark. She was ecstatic and nearly in tears to find out that she and Shadow  _ wouldn’t  _ have to struggle together anymore. 

Now, money was never really an object. She’s paid more than she’ll ever need in this lifetime and doesn’t have the same daily worries she’d had years ago. 

Had she really forgotten what it was like that quickly?

 She looks back up at him with apologetic eyes, a slight reddish hue to her cheeks. 

“Sorry, you did.” She says. “I suppose I just didn’t factor in money at first. It makes sense why you’d be reluctant.” 

“Yeah, it’s not exactly easy out here for people like me, Rouge.” He goes on. “I’m just trying to get my degree and graduate. I don’t need all the fanfare.” 

She purses her lips, thinking deeply about what she has the urge to say. 

“Knuckles, you know that I’m here for you, right?” She steps closer, her head tilting up to meet his eyes. “You don’t seem like the type to accept this type of help, but if you ever do need something just to get by--” 

“You’re right, I’m not the type.” He looks down, placing a hand on her back. “But I do appreciate you offering. It means a lot.” 

“Of course.” Her hands find their way to his chest. “You know, our agency is always looking for new researchers. I know Their department is incredibly small.” She says. “It’s a lot of reading and analysis, but it seems like those things are already right up your alley, hmm?” 

Knuckles looks away from her eyes and up at nothing in particular. He furrows his brows and runs a hand up through his wet spines, searching for a response. 

“Thanks for letting me know. I’ll keep that in mind.” 

Rouge gives an affirmative nod and lets her head fall against his chest, relishing in the feeling of the hot water rolling over her wings and down her back. She knows they should get out soon. The water’s beginning to run a bit cold and if she spent any more under it, her skin’ll be shriveled like a prune. She’s suddenly not in any rush, however. She’s listening to Knuckles’ heartbeat against his chest and letting herself be enveloped by the warmth of the shower. 

Rouge looks up when she feels Knuckles’ hand snake a bit low, moving south from her lower back. 

“Think there’s any chance I could get you in the mood again?” 

He raises his brows and pulls her closer, laughing through his nose. “You’re pressed up against me, naked and soaking wet.” He smirks.  “I never stopped being in the mood.” 

“Is that so?” Her fingers dance across the white fur of his chest, a small grin forming on her lips. “I think I can be a little late for dinner with my friend.” She looks up. “You think you can spare ten minutes of your lecture?” 

“By all fucking means.” Knuckles pulls her close, his hands slipping down to grip her backside. “The professor’s a dick anyway.” 

Rouge feels the cool of the tile against her back as he presses her against it, relishing in the feeling of Knuckles’ face in the crook of her neck. They   _ really  _ didn’t have time for this, and she was fully aware of it. Was that going to stop her from getting a little relief before heading out for the night, however? 

She hadn’t thought so, at least not until the sound of loud thumps against the door bang through the bathroom. The two jump, looking at each other with horror in their eyes as a familiar voice sounds through the door. 

_ “I’m fully aware that you two probably busy, but I need the plunger.” _ Rouge rolls her eyes at Shadow’s voice.  _ “How much longer are you going to be?”  _

“You can’t wait a bit?!” She shouts back, earning a look from Knuckles. 

_ “I wouldn’t have to interrupt if you hadn’t taken it from my bathroom--”  _

“Fine, fine!” Rouge groans, letting her head fall back against the tile. “We’ll be out in five minutes.” 

_ “Thank you.”  _

The moment she knows he’s out of earshot she swears under her breath, silently fuming as she reaches to turn the water off. She rubs her face and gives Knuckles a defeated look, her eyes laced with determination.

“Just so you know, we’re finishing this later.” 

* * *

 

For once, Shadow doesn’t feel the overwhelming urge to have a cup of coffee before work. 

It’d been years since he’d woken up so alert. It hadn’t taken him three tries to get out of bed, and there hadn’t been a need to splash his face with cold water immediately upon setting foot in his bathroom. It’s unfamiliar to him, and he’s not quite sure why, but he feels...

_ Chipper,  _ even. 

He shirks his jacket off of his shoulders as he passes the main desk, giving the attendant a subtle wave as he walks by. He’s actually making eye contact with the coworkers who pass him, which is already a strange change of pace. He eyes the breakroom from down the hall and already fixated on the bagel he’s going to have for breakfast--

“Stripes.” 

Shadow stops in his stride, slightly startled by Vector’s voice. He immediately realizes something off. Vector never keeps his office door open, regardless of the circumstances. Despite the fact that he typically sits going over casework with music blaring in his ears, he insists that the door being closed keeps his office “quiet”. 

Shadow takes a few steps back and blinks, watching as he looks over his glasses. 

“Vector?” 

“You’re just the hedgehog I wanted to see.” He gestures to one of the rolling chairs in front of his desk. “Come in, have a seat.” 

Anxiety is a feeling that Shadow hasn’t genuinely felt in years. Sure, he’d be on edge every now again from stress, but now he’s got a tight pang in his chest that’s making it harder to breathe. There had only been one other time where Vector had called him into his office like this, and it’d been the month he’d first started at the agency. He’d managed to get written up in record time for a physical altercation with a coworker.

In his defense, however, he’d already stated that sobriety still had him a  _ touch _ on edge. Besides, the person in question had been harrassing Rouge during work hours. It was inevitable, in Shadow’s opinion.

Shadow’s hesitant, but he steps through the threshold of the door, closing it behind himself before he takes a seat. Vector wastes about three minutes of his time shuffling through paperwork on his desk before Shadow narrows his eyes, glowering as he finally speaks up. 

“You wanted to see me?” 

Vector looks up from the sea of files below him and takes off his glasses, lacing his fingers together. “Yeah, I did.” He begins. “Lemme ask you something, Stripes. How are things?” 

Shadow raises an eyebrow and gives a distrusting look. “....Fine. Why do you ask?” 

“No reason. You just seem a little more.... _ upbeat _ , than usual. As all.” Vector says. “Like you’ve got a pep in your step or somethin’.” 

“...I suppose?” Shadow asks. “Is that what this is about?” 

“I’m getting to that.” He replies, a bit snappish. “How are things with that kid you’re seein’? Sonic, right?” 

Shadow’s face deadpans. Vector and Rouge had definitely been chatting about this. He doesn’t even remember telling him Sonic’s name. 

“Things are going very well, actually.” He replies. “Thank you for asking.” 

Vector nods. “Mhmm. I thought so.” 

The look that forms in Vector’s eyes is one Shadow’s seen before, _he’s_ given people the same look before. He’s clearly trying to figure out the right way to phrase what he’s about to say.

“....Shadow.” He finally starts, letting his hands fall to the desk top. “You’re aware that all the calls made on your work phone, ingoing  _ and  _ outgoing, are monitored, correct?” 

Shadow freezes. His eyes go wide and his heart rate skyrockets, threatening to beat out of his chest. He parts his lips in search of the right response, swallowing heavily once he settles on an excuse. 

“.....Huh.” He purses his lips. “Interesting.” 

“Very interesting, indeed.” Vector nods. “And do you know  _ who  _ it is that has to monitor those phone calls?”

Shadow hesitates. “...... _ Mighty?”  _

 “Nuh-uh.” He shakes his head and points to himself. “Yours truly.” 

Shadow goes bright red and gasps through his nose, tensing like he’s holding the weight of the world on his shoulders. His hands nearly crush the armrests of his chair in his grasp and stutters as he speaks up. 

“Vector, I am genuinely  _ so _ sorry _ \--”  _

“Save it, Shadow.” He starts. “Listen. The moment you walk out of that door, I don’t give a single fuck what is you decide to do with your time.” He says. “But if you’re gonna, oh, I don’t know. Have phone sex with your boyfriend, maybe don’t do it while you’re  _ under fucking cover!”  _

“It was a _ very _ idiotic and impulsive decision. I will take full responsibility for that.” Shadow stutters. “I swear on my life that I will  _ never  _ let anything like that happen ever again--” 

“Oh, you better not.” Vector chuckles condescendingly. “Normally I don’t even have to comb through phone calls like that, not unless we’re suspicious of treasonous activity.” He says. “The only reason I even checked was because I was trying to figure out who the fuck you were on the phone with for an  _ hour  _ at  _ two o’clock  _ in the morning!” 

“Like I said before, I whole-heartedly apologize for this completely asinine mistake, and I’ll accept any form of punishment that comes with it--”

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Hedgehog.” Vector cuts him off, earning a confused stare from Shadow. “I needed to get my point across before I told you that I’m letting you off the hook, but only this once.” 

“...You are?” He asks. “Why?” 

“For two reasons.” Vector starts. “I am  _ fucking  _ thrilled to see you in such good mood for once. It’s an  _ insanely  _ nice change of pace not to have to deal with your pissy attitude all the time.” 

Shadow grimaces. “Thanks.” 

“Don’t mention it.” He replies. “If this Sonic kid makes you this happy, then by all means. Have as much raunchy phone sex as your little heart desires. Just don’t do it on  _ agency time.  _ Is that clear?” 

“Crystal.” Shadow sits back in his seat. “What is the other reason?” 

Vector seems to settle down as he mentions that, reclining back into his chair as he finally unwrenches his fingers from one another. 

“I need some advice, Stripes.” 

Shadow furrows his brows. “From me? Why would you need advice  _ from me _ ?” 

“Because. You’re gay, aren’t you?” 

Shadow blinks. “ _ Yes?”  _

“Right. That’s why I need your advice, about something related to that.” Vector explains, lowering his voice. “I’m seeing a dude right now.” 

Shadow tries his best not to look too shocked. It’s difficult, however, given that the thought of  Vector being anything other than an overbearingly straight man has never crossed his mind. 

“...Oh?” He struggles to find the words. “ _ Really? _ ” 

Vector nods. “Yeah, I know. Never expected that from me, huh?” 

“If I’m being frank? No, not at all.” 

“I thought as much.” Vector chuckles. “I have a personal question, if you don’t mind.” 

Shadow hesitates. “...Which is?”

Vector’s eyes dart towards the door and back over to him as he leans in a bit closer. 

“Between you and me, what’s the best way to give another guy head?” 

Shadow nearly chokes on his own breath and practically sends himself into a coughing fit. He clutches the base of his throat, desperately trying to gather himself back together. 

“ _ Excuse me?” _

“You heard me, Stripes.” He replies, his voice diving lower. “C’mon. I heard that phone convo. I know you know what I’m talkin’ about.” 

Shadow’s at a loss for words. There are too many things running through his mind right now and he’s still trying to break down the  _ concept  _ of Vector liking men. A few minutes ago, he was sure that he was about to get written up or worse. Now he’s decompartmentalizing logistics of his boss giving head to another man. 

Shadow stares off at nothing, his eyes narrowed in confusion as he tries to form a response in his mind. 

“Listen. This is the first guy I’ve ever dated.” Vector begins. “I just wanna impress him, y’know? This is uncharted territory for me, if I’m being real with you.”

“You don’t have  _ any  _ other gay male friends that you could’ve asked this same question?” 

Vector exhales, rubbing his temple. “I’m not about to ask Espio how to give him head, Shadow.” 

That’s the nail in Shadow’s coffin. He can’t stop himself from gasping at that, his eyes the size of dinner plates as he stares in disbelief. 

_ “Espio?!”  _ He exclaims. “You’re dating  _ Espio?!”  _

“Don’t sound so shocked about it!” Vector shushes him. “I’m not gonna get into the semantics of how it happened but, yes. I am.” He pauses. “You good?” 

“I’m fine. I just need a second to process that.” Shadow replies. “This is a lot to digest.” 

“Well take an antacid and get yourself together.” He tells him. “I still need advice.”

Shadow sits back in his seat, searching the cracks in the walls for an answer to his question. What was he supposed to say? Sure, he’s not wrong in saying he’s experienced in that realm, but this was a lot to think about on the spot.

“Vector, I...” He closes his eyes. “I don’t know what to tell you. We’re completely different animals. I don’t even know how something like that would work between you two.” 

“Use your imagination.” Vector leans back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the desk. “You’re smart. Think a little harder.” 

Shadow draws in a deep, annoyed breath and brings his hands together, lacing his fingers as he leans onto his knees. “Espio is barely half your height, Vector. If I had to guess, I’d think letting him, oh, I don’t know.” He gestures in no particular direction. “Ride your face, would suffice.” 

Shadow’s both relieved and unnerved by the look of realization that washes over Vector’s face. He’s nodding like Shadow’s just told him the meaning of life and if anything, he hopes it means he can actually get back to work soon. 

“Huh. Look at you.” Vector grins. “Not a bad idea, Stripes.” 

“You’re welcome.” He replies, his voice monotone. “Am I free to leave, now?” 

Vector waves him towards the door. “Yeah, yeah. Go start looking over the Coolette Case for me, I left the file on your desk.” 

Shadow pushes himself up out of his chair, picking his coat up from the arm as he makes his way over to the door. The moment he’s nearly through the threshold, he pauses at the sound of Vector’s voice. 

“One more thing, actually.” He says. “Do me a favor and tell your boyfriend that if he calls your work number again for this type of shit, he’ll be hearin’ from me  _ personally _ .” He smiles. “That’s all.” 

Shadow barely look over his shoulder and gives an affirmative nod. 

“Understood, Sergeant.” 

* * *

 

“You ever wonder how they make chocodiles shaped like crocodiles?” Sonic holds one above his face as he examines it. “Like, is there a mold or something? Or does one person carve it out themselves?” 

Shadow glances away from the cityscape around them, twisting his brows at Sonic’s question. “Aren’t you studying to be a doctor?” 

He shifts in Shadow’s lap, popping the candy into his mouth. “Yes, I am. So what?” 

“So, I feel like it would take more common sense to be a medical professional than it does to answer that question.” 

“Hey, don’t be mean!” Sonic reaches up to gently push at Shadow’s chin. “If anything, you should know by now that common sense isn’t one of my strongest traits.” 

“Oh, I know.” Shadow chuckles. “I was there when you attempted to open an avocado by slicing it directly in half.” 

“I’ve never had one before! Gimme a break Shads!” Sonic laughs. “We can’t all be a five-star chef like you.” 

“I suppose not.” He replies. “But, it was still incredibly entertaining to watch.” 

Sonic rolls his eyes and reaches above his head for the open bag of chocodiles. It’s getting a bit colder outside, and he knows that they should probably go in soon. The view from his balcony was so beautiful at night, however. He feels bad for not spending more time outside and less time cooped up by his game system. 

Sonic shifts under the blanket they’d brought out and buries his face in Shadow’s torso, groaning loudly. 

“Shads. You’re so _ warm. _ ” He says, his voice muffled. “Can I trade you in for the shitty heating in our apartment?” 

“It’s just your bedroom,” Shadow says, gently running his fingers through Sonic’s quills. “I have the same problem with mine. There’s something off about the way the central air system is routed through the apartment.” 

Sonic groans. “Can you fix it?” 

“You’re funny.” Shadow chuckles. “Although, I do know that Vector worked in HVAC before working for the agency. I could probably ask him what he thinks.” 

Sonic turns his head away from Shadow’s stomach. “Is Vector the chameleon? Or the big croc guy?” 

“The latter.” He replies. “Espio is the chameleon.” 

“Ahhh, right,”  Sonic says. “And Vector’s the one who asked you--” He cuts himself off with a snicker. “How to give head? Right?” 

“That would be correct.” Shadow grumbles. “For some Chaos forsaken reason.” 

Sonic cackles at that, pressing his hand to his forehead as he breaks down into hysterics. 

“Shit, I’m sorry. It’s not funny.” He tries his best to collect himself. “You almost got in trouble. This is  _ not.  _ Funny--” 

“Sonic, I couldn’t care less that you find this situation humorous,” Shadow tells him. “If I didn’t have to live with the mental image of it, I’d probably think it was funny too.” 

“Jeez. Your boss sounds cool as hell.” Sonic snorts. “I kinda wanna meet him.” 

“I don’t know about that.” Shadow starts. “Vector can be..... _ a lot. _ He’s an incredible leader, especially for my particular squad, but--” He rolls his eyes. “He has no filter, sometimes.” 

“Exactly. People like that are always super fun to be around.” Sonic winks. “I love spontaneous people.” 

He scoffs. “There’s a fine line between ‘spontaneous’ and ‘reckless’, Sonic.” 

“I know. I live on that line, Shads.” 

“I’m very aware.” Shadow smirks. “And strangely enough, I’m enjoying it so far.” 

Sonic lets his eyes meet Shadow’s gaze, drawing a hand up to gently stroke his cheek. One of the first things Sonic had noticed about Shadow was his eyes. He’d never seen another Mobian with blood-red irises before, or striped fur for that matter. He’d gone from finding Shadow’s stares scarily intense to completely and utterly entrancing. He’d never let his friends hear him say it because he knows he wouldn’t hear the end of it, but Sonic found himself getting lost in the intricacies of Shadow. His eyes, his fur, the smile he  _ barely  _ ever saw. 

He can’t remember the last time he’d been so enchanted by someone before. 

Sonic lifts his head up from Shadow’s lap, scooting back over his legs so they’re eye level with one another. 

“....Hey, Shadow?” 

He looks over. “Yes?” 

“What are we?” 

Shadow doesn’t know why he hadn’t expected Sonic to say that. He blinks a bit in surprise, looking downward. He  _ knows  _ what he wants to say, he just needs to find the words--

“Shit.” Sonic goes pale. “Fuck. It was too soon to ask, wasn’t it?  _ Fuck.”  _

Shadow focuses back on him as he watches Sonic slowly slip into disarray. 

“Sonic--” 

“Goddammit _.  _ I knew I should’ve waited.” Sonic lets out an exasperated sigh. “Not to be super gay about it, but I just got lost in-- _ you.  _ It felt like the moment was right, but maybe it wasn’t? Am I overthinking this--” 

“Yes, you are.” Shadow finally interrupts, bringing a hand to his face. “Take a deep breath.” 

“I’m trying but,  _ phew.”  _ Sonic pulls at his jacket collar. “Is it hot to you? I’m kind of hot--” 

“Sonic,  _ breathe _ .” 

He stops rambling long enough to actually pay Shadow some attention. He lets out the most strained breath Shadow’s ever heard, but it’s still a step in the right direction. 

“I really don’t know if it’s too soon to ask but, either way. I just need to get how I feel off my chest.” Sonic scoots closer, locking eyes with him. “How do you do this, Shadow?”

He raises a brow. “Do what?” 

“Make me feel like this?” Sonic blurts out. “We’re so different, but I feel like you ground me so well.” He says. “This is gonna sound  _ super  _ cheesy, but, I feel like I can be  _ myself _ around you. Like, one hundred percent, concentrated Sonic the Hedgehog.” 

Shadow’s expression grows tender. “Really?” 

“Yeah, and it’s insane.” He continues. “I used to be really intimidated by you. You’ve got this weirdly accurate ability to see right through me.” He takes a breath. “I’m really social. I love making friends and I  _ love  _ talking to people.” 

“Clearly.” 

“--and it’s super great, but at the same time, it’s kind of exhausting?” Sonic furrows his brows. “I don’t exactly know how to explain it. I almost feel like I’m putting on a show for people. Everyone knows me as a super nice and outgoing guy.” He says. “But that’s not  _ always  _ me, y’know? You saw me when we were on that bridge. I was one wrong step away from having a breakdown.” 

“Which was understandable,” Shadow says. “You shouldn’t feel ashamed of that.” 

“See! It’s that right there!” Sonic grasps onto Shadow’s shoulders. “You don’t judge me, at least not about the stuff that matters. Sometimes I’m in a bad mood, sometimes I just wanna throw shit and let all my emotions out—-but everyone expects me to be so fucking  _ happy _ all the time—“

“That’s a high standard to be held to—“ 

“I know!” He replies. “Do you know how many times I cried last semester because I was so stressed out? Because I’m painfully aware of how close I am to being out in the real world next year?” 

Shadow frowns. “I’m hoping it wasn’t too much.” 

“Well, it could’ve been way worse.” Sonic looks into his eyes. “If it weren’t for you.”

Something rushes up in Shadows chest. He’s not sure what it is, it’s got the same prickly feeling as anxiety but feels oddly warm and comforting at the same time. 

Was he flustered, maybe? 

“I looked forward to seeing you so much. It was pretty much the highlight of my week knowing I’d be able to get away from everything for a few hours.” Sonic swallows. “And I’m just—really glad I don’t have to put up an act around you.” He gives a frail smile. “All of this is just a really long-winded way of me saying that I’m really glad we met.” 

Shadow’s nearly at a loss for words. He’d never expected Sonic to be so open about all this. Of course, the delivery was nervous and shaky, but he doesn’t really mind. He understands what he’s trying to say and it’s resonating with him in a way he hasn’t experienced before. 

“The feeling is mutual.” He finally says, returning his smile. “I’ll be honest, I was very hesitant about this. Pursuing someone, I mean.” 

“Oh fuck.” Sonic pales. “That sounds like a set up for something.” 

“Let me  _ finish _ .” Shadow chides. “I’ve spent so much time on my own. I’ve never been in a serious relationship before--”

_ “Really?”  _ Sonic scoffs at the look he receives. “What? Shadow, you’re hot as hell. I thought that I would’ve been at least number five or six...” 

“Not at all. I’ve always been picky about these sorts of things. Especially in the past.” He says. “I don’t want to get into the details of it right now, but I suppose I’ve just never felt comfortable enough with someone before to take that final step.” 

Shadow looks intensely into Sonic’s eyes, occasionally letting his gaze fall to his lips. “But there’s just something  _ about  _ you. I can’t articulate it...” 

Sonic decides that he’s already taken one leap of faith tonight, he might as well brace for another. He leans forward and presses his lips to Shadows, cupping his face with his hands as he slowly returns the kiss. Sonic’s bare palms are hot against Shadow’s cheeks as he tilts his head, deepening their embrace. He’s not fixated on kissing Shadow drunk or taking his breath away, he’s focused  _ on  _ Shadow. 

His words aren’t cooperating well with him tonight and he’s hoping whatever message that’s jumbled in his brain can translate through his actions. 

Sonic pecks at Shadow’s lips one last time before pulling away, staring intensely back at him. 

“....Did that help make things clear?” 

Shadow nods. “Very.” 

“Good.” He breathes a sigh of relief. “My mind is just a garbled mess of emotions right now.” 

“Believe it or not, the feeling is mutual.” Shadow replies. “But yes.” 

Sonic perks up. “... ‘Yes’, as in....?” 

“Yes, I am your boyfriend.” He replies, smiling. “I hope that answers your question.” 

Sonic fails at trying to hide his excitement. His lips pull into a wide smile and his muzzle goes bright red as he lunges forward to pull Shadow into a tight hug. Shadow nearly falls back as Sonic embraces him, burying his face in his shoulder. 

Shadow brings his arms around Sonic’s back, rest one hand on his back and the other in his quills. He’s slightly bristled by the chilly winter breeze that whisps by, but focuses on Sonic. He lets his head fall against his and closes his eyes, only wanting to stay in this moment as the night passes on.  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed this little fluff filled chapter! Thank you to everyone for being patient and all the kind words! I'll catch you guys in two weeks!


	16. Snap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, yes I know I've been gone a while. I'll spare the details, (and if you want to actually know the reason for my break, you can dm me on twitter @silent_hillzone) but long story short, I took a hiatus that I think was well needed, and I'm in a place where I can start updating (not too regularly just yet) but still, I'm glad to be able to post this again. I know some ppl where curious. 
> 
> So strong drug use/mention in this chapter; consider this a fair warning. 
> 
> But that all said, enjoy! Thanks for being patient.

“Can you explain to me again why you thought this was a good idea?” Knuckles drums his fingers against the middle console and stares irritably out of the window. “You really wanna invite a government agent to a house party?” 

“First of all, it’s not a house party, Knuckles. It’s a kickback.” Sonic doesn’t look up from his phone as he speaks. “Second, why do you have to be such a dick about it? Why does it even matter to you if Shadow’s there or not?” 

“Because, Sonic- he’s a buzzkill,” he replies. “I know you’re pretty much worshiping the ground he walks on right now, but it’s the truth. He always clinging to either you or Rouge at social stuff.” 

Sonic glances up and over towards Knuckles, his expression riddled with annoyance. “You do realize that he’s like that  _ because  _ he doesn’t do stuff like this, right?” he asks. “He’s twenty-two and works like a forty-year old man. He barely gets out anymore.”

“And why is it our job to solve that?” 

“Because we’re his  _ friends _ ?” Sonic says incredulously. “Chaos, Knuckles! Ever heard of having ‘compassion?’” 

“Don’t get all bent out of shape! I’m just trying to make sense of everything,” he snaps back, pointing a finger. “Am I really that crazy for thinking he might feel like a fish out of water?” 

“ _ No,  _ but it’s our job to help him  _ not  _ feel like that,” Sonic says. “Because that’s what friends are  _ for.” _

Knuckles rolls his eyes and sits back against his seat, exhaling in a loud, overdramatic huff. Sonic doesn’t pay him much attention as he feels his phone buzz, glancing down to see a message from Shadow. 

**_Shads: “I’ll be down in five minutes.”_ **

Sonic quickly shoots back a reply and locks his phone again, pursing his lips as he looks up at nothing in particular. He’d never actually thought about whether or not Shadow would  _ enjoy  _ being at the party. He’d sort of just assumed that since he never got out anyway, of course he’d have fun. He’d ended up having fun at his party- after a few drinks, that is. 

He starts debating it in his head only to realize that Shadow probably wouldn’t have said “yes” to coming if he hadn’t wanted to come, right? He’d never had a problem with turning Sonic down before... 

He decides not to give himself a headache over it and brushes away the thought. Shadow’s coming with them and that’s all that matters. Sonic’s made a promise to himself to show Shadow a good time while he can and he’s not about to let that go. 

Shadow’s knuckle tapping on the window nearly scares the life out of Sonic. He jumps away and whips his head around, sighing in relief when he realizes who it is. He reaches down to unlock the back door of Knuckles’ car and chuckles as it clicks open. 

“Chaos, Shadow,” Sonic says. “Make a little noise next time, will you?” 

Shadow furrows his brows as he steps into the backseat. “What did you want me to do? Yell at you through the window?” 

“Maybe. It would mix things up a little bit.” Sonic looks back over his shoulder. “You gotta keep me on my toes, Shads.” 

“I’ll leave that to you.” Shadow scoffs, clicking his seatbelt in place. “I already have enough stressors in my life.” 

Sonic pouts. “I’m not one of them though, right?” 

“Not always.” 

“‘Not always?’” he asks in disbelief. “What do you mean ‘not always—’“ 

“Okay, not to interrupt your little lover’s quarrel, but we have somewhere to be right now.” Knuckles cuts them both off and turns on the engine. “What’s Silver’s address again?” 

“Hold on.” Sonic starts feverishly tapping at his phone. “He sent it like two days ago, but Amy and Tails blew up the group chat yesterday talking about that new sci-fi drama—“ 

“You said that he lives in Westbrook, correct?” 

Sonic glances back over his shoulder. “Yeah- right off the highway.” 

“I know that area. I can guide you, if you’d like.” 

He looks to Knuckles for confirmation and the echidna waves his hand dismissively, begrudgingly shifting the car into drive. 

“Sure. As long as you can keep up.” 

Sonic scoffs. “Pfft. He’s got this, Knux. Right Shads?” 

“Would I offer if I didn’t?” 

“Whatever. Let’s just go already.” Knuckles glances in his rear view. “I’m getting on eighty five north, right?”

Shadow sits back in his seat and crosses his arms over one another, nodding as he replies. “Yes.” 

  
  


______________________________________________________________

Shadow’s thrilled that Sonic’s little outing isn’t nearly as chaotic as he’d braced himself for. 

He wasn’t entirely sure where they were going. All Sonic had told him was that his track team members had arranged everything, and that it was much more “lowkey” than the party he’d had. Whatever that was supposed to mean. 

They end up pulling up outside a shoddy-looking brownstone in west Grand Metropolis. Shadow knows it’s the more run-down part of the city and assumes that it has to be affordable if it’s being rented by college students. 

A gray hedgehog opens the back door when they arrive on the porch, smiling like an idiot while trying to keep a good grip on the beer bottle in his hand. Shadow’s seen him before- he thinks it was at Sonic’s party, but his memory from that night is too foggy for him to fully remember. 

The hedgehog welcomes them in, introduces himself as “Silver” to Shadow, and waits about five minutes before offering him a drink. It’s a beer and Shadow knows his limits by this point, so he accepts without thinking about it too much. He’s trailing close behind Sonic as Silver weaves them through his narrow townhouse and down to the basement where everyone else is at.

Shadow recognizes a few people in the expanse of the room. He knows the green and purple birds from the party, and he  _ thinks  _ that they’re dating? He’s not sure; Sonic’s only really talked negatively about the green one, and he’s never seen the giant hulking gray bird that’s towering over everyone else there. 

Sonic perches himself on the couch in the center of the room, greeting everyone with a wide smile, while Shadow silently slips in beside him. Knuckles hangs back on the patio with a few others and he assumes it’s probably to light up before rejoining everyone else. Sonic does most of the talking for him; if someone asks a question directed towards Shadow, Sonic fills in the gaps of what Shadow’s social awkwardness can’t. It’s a tad bit annoying, but at the same time he’s thankful for it. He knows that otherwise he’d come off far too antisocial for such a chatty event. 

An hour or so goes by before Shadow feels a bit of panic when Sonic stands from his place, watching as he stretches his arms and cracks his neck. 

“I just need to use the bathroom really quick. I’ll be right back, Shads,” Sonic says quietly. “You won’t even know I’m gone.” 

Shadow rolls his eyes and waves him off, already turning his attention to his phone. “Take your time.” 

The moment Sonic’s figure isn’t blocking out the overhead lights of the ceiling, Shadow’s confused when it goes dark again. He glances up, narrowing his eyes at the body standing in front of him. 

“Hey, what’s up?” The green hawk extends a hand. “You were at Sonic’s party a few months ago. Shadow, right?” 

“...Right.” Shadow places his phone on his thigh, hesitantly reaching out for a shake. “And you are?” 

“Name’s Jet. We’re all on the track team together,” he replies. “Silver’s my roommate too. You probably met him already.” 

“I did, yes,” Shadow replies. “Sonic’s mentioned you before.” 

_ Never with good things to say _ ,  _ however. _

Jet chuckles and takes it upon himself to fill the empty seat next to him. Shadow narrows his eyes and tucks his phone into his pocket, trying his best not to give off too much irritated body language. 

“He probably talks a lot of shit about me, huh?” he smirks, crossing his arms behind his head. “It wouldn’t be a surprise.” 

“He doesn’t say much about you at all, to be frank,” Shadow admits. He’s not sure whether its the beer loosening up his nerves or what, but he knows he’s a little less concerned with whether or not he hurts Jet’s feelings. 

“Hm. Interesting,” he laughs through his nose. “Figures.” 

Shadow’s growing a touch uncomfortable. He’s not sure what it is that Jet wants with him or why he’s suddenly gotten the urge to be so hospitable he’s already fighting off the urge to make up an excuse to get up and walk away. Shadow watches as Jet aimlessly rocks his head back and forth, humming quietly as another comment forms on his lips. 

“So,” he begins, looking over. “Are you like, a wallflower or something? You’re always cooped up next to Sonic whenever I see you.” 

“....No?” Shadow replies, raising a brow. “He’s just familiar with everyone here. It’s easier to stay with him.” 

“Well why don’t  _ you  _ get familiar with everyone, eh?” Jet smirks, gesturing around. “That’s my buddy Storm in by the bar, he’s a dumbass but he’s useful sometimes.” Next he points towards the purple swallow, saying “and that’s Wave. She’s my number one, definitely a bitch to me sometimes, but  _ usually  _ my A1--” 

“Is there something that you want from me, Jet?” Shadow cuts him off.

He shuts up and purses his lips, searching his brain for a response. 

“I’m just trying to make conversation, dude. Lighten up.” Jet throws back a swig of beer. “Why don’t you go out on the patio and smoke a little?” 

“I can’t, but thanks for the offer,” Shadow replies dryly. “Maybe you’d like to partake instead?” 

“Nahhh, I think I’m good right here.” He says. “And uh, yeah. That’s right. You like, work for the government or something. You’re not a cop though, right?” 

Shadow picks up on the tinge of nervousness in Jet’s voice and shakes his head, placing his empty bottle down on the coffee table in front of them. “If you’re asking that because you’re afraid that I’ll ruin your little party, you can relax,” he says. “Even if I wanted to arrest you, I couldn’t. Misdemeanors are out of my jurisdiction.” 

Jet narrows his eyes as if he's trying to compute Shadow’s response in his head. The hedgehog sighs in response, rubbing his temple as he decides to save him the trouble. 

“My agency has bigger fish to fry. Take a breath.” 

Jet nods as if he’s been following the entire time. “Right. Totally. Thought so.” 

An awkward silence falls across the couch and Shadow could care less. He’s turned his attention back to his phone and aimlessly scrolls through his news app, pretending to care that a local elementary school teacher was being promoted to superintendent. Jet bobs his head a bit to the music and nonchalantly sips his beer, eyeing Shadow from the corner of his vision. 

Jet clears his throat and turns his head fully, looking him up and down. 

“So, you and Sonic.” 

Shadow looks up from his phone, his brows twisted in confusion. “...Yes?” 

“Are you guys like, a thing now?” he asks, his eyes locked on Shadow’s. “Sonic talks about you a lot. Is it like, official?” 

Shadow places his phone face down in his lap, cocking his head as he gives an incredulous look. “Why does that concern you?” 

“I was just curious, jeez,” Jet says defensively. “No need to be so snippy about it.” 

“You’re asking me about private details of  _ my _ life, and you expect me to oblige you with a smile?” 

“Pfft.  _ Private _ . Yeah right,” Jet cackles. “Nothing about you guys’ relationship is private when Sonic won’t fucking shut up about you—” 

“ _ Excuse  _ me?” 

“Shads, there’s pizza and stuff upstairs if you want something to eat--” 

Sonic stops in his tracks when he sees Jet perched in his seat. Shadow peers up and hopes to Chaos that Sonic can read his non-verbal cry for help. The blue hedgehog’s eyes travel between him and Jet, growing more and more irritated as he pieces together what’s going on. 

“Did you need something, Jet?” Sonic narrows his eyes. “Or did you come over here just to annoy my boyfriend?”

“Chaos- you too?” he snickers in response. “This is my house, Sonic. I can do what I want.” 

“This is Silver’s house too. I didn’t come over to hang out with  _ you, _ ” Sonic emphasizes, glaring back at him. “Don’t you have anything better to do?” 

Jet doesn’t say anything. His eyes dart back and forth between the two of them in an effort to find some snide remark hidden in their faces. It’s fruitless, however. He settles on an over-dramatic groan and peels himself up from the couch, stretching his arms over his head as he purposefully brushes past Sonic. 

“You’re lucky Silver likes you.” 

Jet disappears down the hall and around a corner, and Sonic glances back over once he’s sure he’s out of earshot. 

“Fuck, I’m sorry,” he starts. “Jet’s an asshole. I hope he wasn’t being too much of a dick to you.” 

“Don’t stress yourself out,” Shadow replies, climbing to his feet. “He’s nosy, but tolerable.” 

“Nosy?” Sonic almost looks concerned. “How so?” 

“Nothing alarming. He just seems oddly interested in our relationship,” he says. “Especially for someone that you apparently aren’t even friends with.” 

Sonic purses his lips and looks a little past Shadow, staring at the wall as he runs a hand through his quills. “We’re kind of friends. It’s been up and down.” 

Shadow laughs through his nose. “A love-hate relationship, I suppose?” 

Sonic tenses and lets out a weak chuckle. “If you wanna call it that.” 

Although he picks up on the discomfort in Sonic’s voice, he can tell from his body language that he probably doesn’t want to elaborate on whatever’s concerning him. Shadow decides not to press the issue. His eyes wander over towards the stairs and he recalls Sonic’s earlier statement. He hadn’t had anything to eat since that morning; something to quell his growling stomach sounded more than appetizing at the moment.

“You mentioned that there was food upstairs?” 

Sonic perks up. “Oh yeah! There’s a bunch of stuff. I think Silver went a little crazy with the food,” he says. “There’s not even that many people here.” 

“Better to be safe than sorry, I suppose,” Shadow replies. “I’ll be back; I’m going to go get something to eat.” 

“Do you want me to come with? Or--” 

“No, no. I’ll be fine,” he says. “I’m sure you’d like to join Knuckles out on the patio. Go on, I won’t be long.” 

Sonic stays quiet for a moment, looking Shadow up and down before he gives a nod. 

“Yeah, okay. I’ll be outside when you come back.” 

Shadow gives him an affirmatory gesture and turns away, making his way across the room towards the stairs. He lets out a deep, exhausted breath as he climbs them, relishing in the silence of the kitchen when he steps in. He’s a little overwhelmed, to say the least- not nearly as much as he’d been at Sonic’s party, but there were still enough people here to make him desperate for a moment to himself.  

He makes his way around the dimly lit room and finally lays eyes on the food Sonic had mentioned. It looked as if the first round of earlier guests had already torn through the majority of everything. However, there was still enough left to tide Shadow over until he’d get something more substantial later. 

He picks up a cheap paper plate and piles a few things on, not really paying much mind to anything in particular. He just needs to quiet his hunger pangs; he’d save getting worked up over putting junk food into his body for another day.

Shadow leans against the counter, staring at the wall ahead as he swallows a few bites of a brownie. How long had they been there again? Two hours, maybe? He’s lost track. There weren’t many windows in the basement anyway, so it had already been difficult to tell how quickly time was passing. 

Shadow knows he’s got a little while to go before his social battery is entirely spent. Sonic was terrible at picking up on his social cues, however. At the very most he’ll have to flat out ask to leave, but he’s internally praying that it doesn’t have to go that far. 

Shadow closes his eyes and breathes through his nose. This was fine. He’d been to parties before. He’d lived through Sonic’s, and he knew that he could bear through it as long as he had him around to deflect attention--

“Are you okay?” 

Shadow’s quills stand on end. His eyes snap open and he whips his head around, nearly jumping out of his skin when he sees Silver standing in the doorway. He swallows the last bit of brownie and clears his throat, nodding as he looks away.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he says quietly. “I had to run up to my room to get my computer. I thought everyone was downstairs.”  

“Don’t worry about it,” he replies. “I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” 

Silver doesn’t look convinced. “Are you sure? You look like you have a headache or something.” He pauses. “Oh wait, Sonic did say you get migraines, right? I have some ibuprofen upstairs if you need it--” 

“I can assure you that that isn’t necessary,” Shadow interrupts. “I don’t have one. Besides, they haven’t been very frequent recently anyway.” 

“Oh, well that’s still good to hear!” Silver says with a smile. “I guess you’re doing something different lately?” 

He scoffs. “The only thing I’ve been doing differently is spending more time with Sonic.” 

“Awww--” 

“Don’t.” 

“But it’s sweet!” Silver goes on. “I didn’t know if you guys were actually together. Sonic’s never said if you were or not.” 

Shadow raises an eyebrow. “Really?” 

He shakes his head. “Nah. He does talk about you a lot, though. You’re like, the hot topic of the locker room.” 

That comes as a surprise. He doesn’t know why- he’d anticipated Sonic being a lot more vocal about their relationship status. He was loud and obnoxious about nearly everything else, after all. Shadow’s not sure what makes this situation different. 

He thinks about casually asking him later on when they’re alone. 

Shadow pushes away from the counter and tosses his empty plate in the trash, brushing the crumbs off his gloves. 

“Interesting,” he says. “I hope the things he  _ has  _ said have been favorable.”

Silver scoffs. “Are you kidding? The guy’s like, in love with you--” He cuts himself off. “Wait, fuck, bad word choice. It’s way too soon to throw that word around. Fuck.” 

“It’s alright, I believe I know what you’re trying to say,” Shadow chuckles. “And I appreciate you telling me. It’s nice to know what he thinks of me in passing.” 

“Aww, well. I’m glad I could help!” Silver smiles brightly. “Did you want anything else to eat? I made some killer pasta salad that’s in the fridge--” 

“No thank you--” Shadow clears his throat. “I mean, I’m sure that it’s delicious, but I’m not very hungry.” He says. “I’ve been filling up on beer and snacks; I already feel a bit lethargic.” 

He nods. “I totally get it. Do you. Just let me know if you need anything.” 

Shadow returns the gesture and gives the smallest smile. “I will. Thank you.” 

_______________________________________________________

Shadow doesn’t quite know how Sonic ended up on his lap, but he’s there nonetheless. 

There were plenty of places to sit around, but Sonic had apparently decided that the best seat in the house was perched on top of him like a sleeping cat. 

He’s not complaining. Sonic’s far too preoccupied with other conversations for this to be an attempt at getting frisky, so Shadow just relishes in the slight warmth he feels having Sonic’s body pressed against his legs. The basement was freezing, anyway. He’d rather indulge this scenario than partake in the dingy looking blanket hanging off the end of the couch. 

Shadow sees Knuckles for the first time in a few hours and he’s much less irritable than when they’d first arrived. He re-enters the room and plops himself down next to a raccoon that Shadow’s never met before, laughing hysterically at nearly everything she says. He’d been outside for a while, Shadow figures that he’s more than a few bowls deep into his high. 

His attention refocuses back on Sonic. He stares at his messy blue quills and cocks his head, his eyes fixated on the way they move when Sonic talks. Shadow narrows his gaze. Had they always been this shade of blue? They almost looked navy in some places. Maybe he’d dyed his fur again without saying anything?

No, no. Why would Sonic do that? He nearly threw a fit over his last quill dye debacle. Surely he would’ve said something. 

Shadow squints and slowly lifts his hand from the arm of the couch, his fingers grazing through Sonic’s quills as he tries to find the answer. 

Sonic flinches, nearly spilling his beer as he looks back over his shoulder. 

“Oh, uh. Hey there, Shads,” he chuckles. “Feeling handsy tonight?” 

Shadow doesn’t reply right away. He’s concentrating too hard on Sonic’s face and doesn’t process what he’s been asked. 

“....What?” He blinks. “Did you say something?” 

“...Yeah. I did,” Sonic says. “You alright? You look a little out of it.” 

Shadow’s trying his hardest to formulate a response in his mind, but it’s too disjointed. Every moment that he feels he’s composed a complete thought, it cracks and crumbles and disappears into thin air. 

He brings a hand to his forehead and rubs it gently, nodding as he motions for Sonic to move. 

“...Yes. I....I’m fine,” he replies. “I think I need to use the bathroom.” 

“Oh yeah, sure.” Sonic shifts off him and onto the couch. “Down the hall, second door on the left.” 

Shadow feels Sonic’s eyes on him as he walks away, but it’s the least of his concern the moment he’s out of the room. 

He’s shaken the moment he closes the bathroom door. Something is  _ terribly  _ wrong and he felt it the moment he stood up. He  _ needs _ a moment away from everyone else just to think straight. 

He can’t focus on his reflection. Shadow hunches over the sink and stares into the mirror, trying his best to find the answer somewhere on his face. 

...Were his eyes always this red? 

He’s lived with them his entire life, but he feels as if they look more blood red than crimson right now. They match the walls really well. Shadow looks away from the mirror and around the room, staring as the poorly painted drywall seems to breathe if he looks at one place for too long. He takes a step back and stumbles over the bathmat, clinging onto the towel rack for dear life before his body barely misses the floor. 

Shadow’s chest heaves. His eyes dart from surface to surface as he slowly pieces together what’s happening. He wrenches his hands in his quills and sinks down against the wall, shaking as he comes to a terrifying realization. 

He’s high. 

_ Too _ high, at that. 

____________________________________________________________________________

“Have you seen Shadow?” 

Knuckles looks up from his phone, squinting up at Sonic. “....No? Why?” 

“I can’t find him,” he replies, speaking lowly as he squats beside the couch. “He said he had to use the bathroom, but that was like twenty minutes ago.” 

The echidna shrugs. “Maybe he’s just taking a huge dump.” 

“Knuckles, I’m being serious.” Sonic frowns and punches his shoulder. “I checked the bathroom already. He’s not there,” he says. “I don’t know why he’d disappear without saying anything.”  

“Well where the hell could he have gone?” he asks incredulously. “It’s not like Silver’s place is that big. It’s a townhouse, for Chaos’ sake.” 

Sonic groans and grips his arm. “I know that. That’s why I’m confused.” He tugs him. “Come on. Help me look for him.” 

“What? Why do you need  _ my  _ help?”  

“Because this’ll go a lot quicker with more than one person,” he replies. “Before you say something, yes. I already tried calling him but it keeps going to voicemail. Just help me out for five minutes,  _ please.”  _

Knuckles glowers back at Sonic’s determined eyes before he finally gives in, sighing as he shoves his phone into his pants’ pocket. 

“Fine, whatever.” He stands from the couch. “Let’s play hide and go seek with your boyfriend.” 

Sonic shoots him a glare and rolls his eyes, looking away as they make their way towards the stairs. He’s already canvassed the entire basement; he’d knocked on the bathroom door only to have it creak forward and reveal its empty walls. He’d checked the back patio and even walked around the small of amount of backyard that Silver and Jet  _ did  _ have, only to come to the conclusion that Shadow definitely wasn’t downstairs. It’s strange, Sonic’s sure he would’ve seen Shadow sneak upstairs if he’d tried. Maybe he’d been too lost in conversation with other guests, he thinks, or maybe Shadow just  _ was  _ that elusive. 

Either way, he’s tense. Shadow was introverted, not shy. He doesn’t understand why or how he’d vanished from the thrall of everyone else so quickly. 

Sonic glances in the living room, his eyes sweeping over every surface before he declares the room a Shadow-free zone. Knuckles takes it upon himself to check upstairs despite Sonic’s protests. All he finds out is that Jet’s more of a neatfreak that they ever would’ve thought, and  _ Silver’s _ room is the disaster area. 

They regroup in the dining room, and Knuckles actually starts to share Sonic’s concern. Shadow wasn’t a  _ ghost _ . How on earth was it possible for him to seemingly vanish into thin air? 

Sonic rubs at his temples and leans against a wall, trying his best to gather his thoughts. 

“You see that I’m not crazy now, right? He just  _ disappeared. _ ” 

“This is insane,” Knuckles replies, furrowing his brows. “You don’t think he left, do you?” 

“Why would he do that?” Sonic asks, giving a confused look. “You’re our  _ ride _ . What, do you think he found another way home and just bailed?” 

Knuckles shrugs. “I don’t know, Sonic. You know him better than I do,” he says. “He had a couple beers. We both already know that Shadow doesn’t exactly act like himself when he’s tipsy.” 

Sonic purses his lips. Knuckles is unfortunately right, and he’s mad that he has to admit it. Shadow wouldn’t have left, though. The idea of it is absurd and he can’t comprehend a reason why he’d ever do that when he thinks about it. 

Nothing’s making sense and it’s giving Sonic a headache. He shakes his head and runs a hand down his face, withdrawing his phone from his pocket as he illuminates the screen. 

“I’m gonna try calling him again.” 

Knuckles raises a brow. “I thought you said it kept going to voicemail--” 

“Well maybe he’ll pick up this time, _ ”  _ Sonic says irritably. “Do you have a better idea?” 

He lours back at him as the sound of a dial tone fills the living room. It rings once, and then twice. Just as Knuckles opens his mouth to tell Sonic there’s no use, the muffled sound of a phone ringtone just barely echoes through the room. 

The two lock eyes. Sonic whips his head around the room, nearly leaping over the sofa as he follows the sound to its source. 

Knuckles trails slightly behind as he approaches a closed door, his face twisted in confusion as he looks back over at Sonic. 

“What the fuck?” he questions. “Why the hell would his phone be in the closet?” 

“I don’t know? Maybe he left it in his coat--” 

Sonic’s words fall to the floor as he pulls open the door, his eyes going wide as he nearly stumbles back in surprise. 

Shadow sits against the opposite wall, tucked away beside a few brown boxes and a vacuum cleaner. Fear radiates from his eyes as they tear away from the carpet, his body visibly trembling as the light from the living room spills into the small space. Sonic blinks a few times to make sure he’s not losing his mind, and takes a step forward once he knows his eyes aren’t deceiving him. 

“ _ Shadow?”  _ he squints. “What---why are you--” 

“I needed to get away,” Shadow’s words crash together. “I needed somewhere  _ quiet _ \---somewhere dark---somewhere away from everyone else---” 

“What?” Sonic asks. “If you needed some time to yourself, you could’ve just told me—” 

“No, no,  _ no.  _ You’re not  _ listening _ to me!” Shadow grits through his teeth. “I--I can’t be around people right now. The room is fucking  _ spinning!  _ Everyone’s voices are so  _ fucking _ loud--” 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on.” Sonic squats by the door frame, squinting as he looks into Shadow’s twitching eyes. “.....Holy shit.” 

“What?” Knuckles leans overtop of him, fruitlessly trying to catch a glimpse. “What’s wrong?” 

“Shadow,” Sonic hesitates. He brings a hand to Shadow’s cheek and lets his thumb graze the area right below his eyes. “Are you high?” 

Shadow lets out a loud, frustrated sigh and lets his head fall back against the closet walls, his eyes wrenching shut as he groans. 

“Yes, I am,” he grits. “And I’m losing my fucking  _ mind _ .” 

“Wait a minute. Hold on.” Knuckles waves his hands. “Something’s not adding up. I thought you and Rouge couldn’t use drugs. You guys are government employees—” 

“You don’t think I know that?!” Shadow snaps back, glaring up at him. “I didn’t  _ willingly _ use anything--” 

“Then how are you even sure that you’re high?” he cuts him off. “How is that even a possibility--” 

Shadow growls and staggers to his feet, grabbing onto Sonic for leverage as he steps out of the closet. “Because I’ve smoked fucking weed before, you dumbass!” he snaps. “You’re talking to someone who used to buy drugs before they bought food. You really think I don’t know what being high out of my damn mind feels like?” 

Knuckles takes a step back. “Chaos, okay. Shit,” he says. “Don’t pop a blood vessel.” 

“Shadow, you should sit down. You’re shaking,” Sonic finally interjects, wrapping a protective arm around him. “You’re freaking out because you don’t have a tolerance anymore. It used to happen to me a lot when I first started smoking.” 

He guides them over to the nearest couch and carefully lets Shadow slide onto the cushions, watching him close his eyes in frustration. He’s visibly distressed and its concerning Sonic more and more with each passing minute. 

“I’m so confused.” Sonic brings a hand to his temple. “So you didn’t smoke?” 

“Why the fuck would I do that, Sonic?” Shadow grumbles. “I could literally be fired from my job--” 

“I’m just trying to make sense of this, okay?” he replies. “I’m not trying to say you did something you didn’t.” 

“Someone had to have spiked my drink.” Shadow’s eyes shoot open. “I left my beer unattended when I went to get food earlier. Someone here  _ knows--- _ they know I work for the government--” 

“No, Shadow, stop. You’re jumping to conclusions.” Sonic squats in front of him. “No one here is out to get you. The high is just making you paranoid. It happens.” 

“Then what  _ happened,  _ Sonic?” Shadow exclaims, throwing his hands up in frustration. He wrenches his hands in his quills and groans through his teeth, his canines bared as he pulls at head in frustration. “This isn’t happening. This  _ cannot  _ be happening---” 

“Shadow,  _ relax-- _ ” 

“Don’t tell me to fucking relax!” Shadow shouts, glaring up at Knuckles. “I’ve been clean for three fucking years! This is screwing everything up!” he grunts. “All of the fucking work it took--the shit that I’ve  _ been _ through--” 

“What’re you even talking about--” 

“This is insane. There has to be an answer to this,” Sonic cuts Knuckles off as he rises from the couch. “Shadow, what did you do when you weren’t with me tonight?” 

Shadow blinks. It’s difficult to recall. His short term memory already hadn’t been great before, now it felt as if he was fighting every five seconds to remember anything at all. He inhales sharply through his nose and stares at the carpet, trying his hardest to mentally retrace his steps. 

“Food,” he finally says, his voice monotone. “I had food. After talking to Jet. Some fruit---and--” 

“Ohhh no.” Their eyes dart to Knuckles as his face goes pale, sinking into a frown. “You ate a brownie, didn’t you?” 

Shadow hesitates. “....Yes. I did.”  

“Oh fuck,” Sonic says. “Please don’t tell me those were--” 

“Pot brownies.” Knuckles finishes. “They definitely are. Jet made those,.” he says. “He mentioned it to me earlier, but I don’t really fuck with edibles, so I didn’t pay attention—” 

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Shadow shoots to his feet. “No wonder I’m losing my goddamn mind! Why the fuck wasn’t anything  _ labeled--”  _

“Shadow--” 

“Rouge and I drug tested every month--I could lose my fucking job over something that was  _ preventable!” _

“SHADOW.” 

He jolts as Sonic grips his shoulders, forcing their gazes to meet. “I need you to take a breath. You’re panicking.” 

“How am I not supposed to panic about something like this?” Shadow’s tone becomes worrisome. “This is very bad, Sonic. This is  _ very fucking bad--”  _

“Because getting yourself worked up about this isn’t gonna help you get through it any easier.” Sonic tightens his grip. “Look at me. Take a deep breath.” 

Shadow seems resistant at first, but eventually listens. His eyes stay on Sonic’s as he sucks a breath in through his nose and shakily exhales through his mouth. He’s trying his hardest to help Shadow  _ calm down.  _ Sonic’s been there before; his first few times were rough and barely enjoyable. Shadow’s high probably hit him like a freight train, he was experiencing anything and everything at once and looked visibly scared.

He needed to get him away from all this. 

“We’re gonna go home, okay?” Sonic gently touches Shadow’s cheek. “So you can sleep this off. It’s already pretty late.” 

“Wait, huh? Come on--” 

Sonic shoots Knuckles a glare so pointed it shuts him right up. He purses his lips and rolls his eyes, walking towards the coat closet. “Fine. Let me get my keys.” 

“Just follow Knuckles outside, alright?” Sonic tells Shadow. “I’ll be right out. I just gotta handle something first.” 

Shadow blinks a few times before nodding quickly, taking another deep breath before he breaks away from Sonic. “Y--yes. I can do that.” 

“Good, just gimme five minutes.” 

He waits until they’re out of the front door to dart back through the kitchen. Sonic’s fuming. Shadow’s completely right, this  _ could  _ have been prevented- easily, at that. He stomps down the stairs and hooks a left down the hall, his eyes narrowed in ire as he finds who he’s looking for. 

“Jet.” 

The hawk looks away from the group of people he’s speaking and over to Sonic, a glare adorning his face. 

“What?” 

“We need to talk.” Sonic folds his arms across his chest. “ _ Now. _ ” 

“I’m a little busy,” Jet says, throwing back a swig of beer. “Text me about it later or something.” 

“I’m being serious,” he grits. “Pull your head out of your own ass and stop being a complete dickhead for once.” 

Jet stills. The look on his face is almost surprised, but clearly annoyed. He hesitates, but places the bottle down on the coffee table, irritably rising to his feet. 

“Fine. If you’re gonna throw a hissyfit about it.” 

Sonic takes a few steps back into the hall as Jet crosses the living room, making sure they’re out of earshot of the party. He hates the smug look plastered across his face, it’s taking everything in Sonic not to smack it off of him. 

“Why would you not say anything about the weed brownies?” he growls, his stare heated. “What the hell is wrong with you?” 

Jet gives him an incredulous look. “Who the fuck are you yelling at?” 

“Don’t play dumb,” Sonic says. “You know what I’m talking about. You made those brownies, right?” 

“Yeah. I did. So what?” Jet scoffs. “What did you want me to do, put a big ole’ sign on it knowing your little pet narc was here?” 

“Fuck you!” Sonic swears, bearing his teeth. “Shadow’s not a narc! And thanks to you he’s in the backseat of Knuckles’ truck having a panic attack because he’s too fucking high! ” he goes on. “The least you could’ve done was say something about it!” 

Jet narrows his eyes as he pieces together everything Sonic’s saying. The moment everything slides into place he throws his head back, cackling into the air as he holds his chest. 

“Oh my god. He  _ ate  _ one, didn’t he?” heHe laughs.  “Oh wow. That’s  _ rich _ .” 

“It’s not fucking funny, Jet!” Sonic lunges forward, forcefully shoving his shoulders. “He could lose his job over this shit!” 

Jet doesn’t stumble back. He gives Sonic a much harder push, slamming his back against the wall as he leans in close. 

“ _ Watch it!” _ heHe says through a clenched jaw. “Don’t start a fight you can’t win, Sonic. It’s not my fault that you weren’t babysitting your wallflower boyfriend well enough.” 

“Chaos,  _ why  _ are you like this?!” Sonic shakes Jet’s hands of his shoulders. “Take some fucking responsibility for once! This is your fault!” 

“You’re the one that brought him here! Blame yourself!” Jet snaps back. “You’ve got some fucking nerve bring  _ your _ boyfriend to  _ my  _ house.” 

Sonic pauses. His face twists in a mixture of anger and confusion as he puts two and two together, his glare deepening as he comes to a realization.

“Are you kidding me? Is that what this is all about?” he asks. “Shadow told me you were pestering him earlier but I didn’t think---” 

“Oh don’t flatter yourself,” Jet cuts him off. “I don’t fucking  _ like  _ you, Sonic. I’m not hung up on a few freshman year hookups,” he laughs. “Besides, what was I? Number seven or something?” 

“ _ Fuck off. _ ”

Sonic shoves him out of his path only to jolt when his body collides with the wall, his shoulder banging against the drywall. He howls and whips around, caught in place by Jet strong arming him backward. 

“I said  _ watch it!”  _ Jet hisses. “If you think you’re gonna come into  _ my  _ house and start shit with me, you’ve got another thing coming,” he says. “You may be fast, but I’m stronger than you. Don’t make me have to remind you.” 

“Get  _ off _ of me.” 

“What are you gonna do about it?” 

“What the hell?” 

The two turn their attention towards the end of the hall, watching as Silver’s form comes into view. He’s squinting and looking back and forth between them, struggling to make out what’s taking place. 

“What the hell is going on?” 

Sonic takes his chance. He knees Jet in the thigh and uses his recoil as a chance to finally get out from his grasp. He doesn’t stop to see if Jet’s okay or even to explain anything to Silver. He’s too pissed and he knows that if he stays even a second longer he’d lose his cool. 

Sonic rushes through their laundry room and out of the backdoor, hurrying up the stairs and he tries his best to make his way around the house. It’s been more than five minutes and he’s got four texts from Knuckles, he knows Shadow’s probably going through another bout of anxiety. 

_ It’ll be fine,. _ heHe keeps telling himself this as he walks through the tall grass surrounding the house.  _ Shadow just needs to sleep, and he’lld be fine when he wakeswoke up. _

Sonic still can’t help but think about Jet’s words, however. He did  _ make  _ Shadow come here, after all. 

Maybe this was his fault. 

_________________________________________________________________

Shadow wakes up hot and sticky. 

The duvet over top of him feels like lead as he shoves it off his body, a sigh of relief leaving his chest as he feels the cool air of the room. It’s cold against the damp parts of his shirt, Shadow feels like he’s been outside in the rain as he kicks the covers the rest of the covers off. 

He pauses, glancing down at just what he’s wearing. 

This isn’t his shirt. Unless at some point he’d taken an interest in GMU’s track team, he knows that something’s off. 

He looks up, glancing around the room as he shields his eyes from the glaring sunlight beaming in from the windows. This is Sonic’s room- it reeks of the cheap body spray he wears and his floor is riddled with strewn clothes, not to mention the blinding amount of red and blue decor adorning the walls. Shadow’s eyes glance over to the other side of the bed and narrow in confusion at the empty sheets. 

...Where was Sonic?

He slings his legs over the bed, grimacing at the pins and needles that radiate through his legs as he tries to stand. He’s thankful that he didn’t drink that much last night. Despite having to endure a seemingly endless spell of paranoia, he’s at least glad that he’s not hungover. 

Shadow staggers out of Sonic’s room, rubbing the remnants of sleep out of his eyes as he trudges down the hall. He’s not well rested at all, his eyelids still feel heavy and his brain is yelling at him to go back to bed. 

The cool air of the AC flowing through the living room bristles against Shadow’s bare legs as he passes through the hallway threshold, squinting as his eyes search the empty living room. 

“...Sonic?” 

A bit of rustling sounds from the dining room and leans left, spotting his form curled up in the corner. He’s balancing a bowl of cereal precariously on the arm of the chair and Shadow’s nervous just looking at it. Sonic slides his laptop off his legs and stands up, a slightly worried smile spreading across his face. 

“Hey, Shads,” he says, watching as he approaches. “How ya feeling?” 

“Incredibly groggy, but nothing more than that.” Shadow yawns and rubs his eye. “What time is it?” 

“One,” Sonic replies, laughing nervously as his eyes go wide. “You’ve been asleep since we got home.” 

“I slept for  _ twelve hours? _ ” heHe asks. “ _ Uninterrupted? _ ” 

“Well, no,” Sonic clarifies. “You woke up once and tripped on your way to the bathroom, but other than that, you were out the whole night.” 

“Ugh.” Shadow brushes past him, rubbing his temple as he pulls out a chair. “You need to clean your room.” 

“Oh, that is clean.” Sonic reciprocates the glare he’s given. “What? You think  _ that’s _ dirty? Try me during finals week. You wouldn’t even be able to see the floor.” 

“Chaos.” Shadow rolls his eyes. “Remind me to go over some basic organizational skills with you.” 

“I’ll definitely forget, but I appreciate the sentiment.” Sonic plops down in the chair adjacent to him. “I’ll clean it eventually.” 

“Mhmm. Sure.” Shadow yawns. “You tell yourself that.” 

He laughs. “Shut up.” 

Sonic chuckles and pushes his shoulder, feeling comforted at the small, small smirk Shadow gives. He’s relieved that he’s not angry. He’d half expected him to come storming out of his bedroom shouting about last night, but he’s glad to see that that isn’t the case. His eyes linger just a bit too long and Shadow turns his head to look at him, a perplexed look on his face. 

“What?” 

“...Nothing. I guess I’m just...” Sonic trails off. “I’m really sorry.” 

Shadow raises a brow. “About what?” 

“Everything?” he replies, his face apologetic. “I was the one who pushed you to come with us last night. None of this would’ve happened if I just left you alone.” 

Shadow looks surprised. “You honestly feel that way?” 

“I mean, yeah,” he says. “I’ve never seen you so anxious in my life. It was kind of scary, to be honest.” 

Shadow lets out a deep sigh and slides his hand across the table, placing it on Sonic’s wrist as he looks into his eyes. 

“Sonic, there’s no way you could’ve predicted what happened. You shouldn’t feel as though you’re at fault for this.” 

“But I--” 

“Did everything you could have,” he finishes. “Believe it or not, having you around genuinely did help me calm down. Despite how worked up I seemed, I’m glad you were there.” 

Sonic pauses and shares Shadow’s gaze, nodding as he takes in what he says. “Thanks. I’m glad you’re okay.” He hesitates. “Do you really think you might get fired for this?” 

Shadow purses his lips, looking down at the glass table as he thinks. “Honestly, I’m not sure,” he says. “I’m a valued agent, but this is a matter of agency policy. I might have to level with Vector, but the best case scenario is being demoted.” 

Sonic’s heart sinks like a rock in his chest. He was hoping that Shadow had just been overreacting last night, that the jeopardization of his position was another catastrophic thought that didn’t actually have any weight to it. This, however, sends a wave of guilt washing over Sonic’s body. Shadow wouldn’t let him feel responsible for it, but he can’t shake the feeling that everything is his fault.

“Fuck,” he finally utters, his eyes wide. “I’m so sorry.” 

“Don’t be. It can’t be changed now.” Shadow waves him off. “It wouldn’t be much of a pay difference anyway.” 

Sonic sighs inwardly. He’s right. He’s not happy about it, but what’s done is done. 

He decides not to let it stress him out. For now.

He hesitates before speaking up again, quietly clearing his throat. 

“Shads?” 

“...Yes?” 

“At the party, when we were in the living room,” Sonic starts. “You said that you’d been working really hard on, um--” he swallows, “staying clean?” 

Shadow tenses and the blue hedgehog immediately regrets bringing it up. He’d been debating whether or not it was a good idea to mention it at all and clearly, it hadn’t. 

“I did say that,” Shadow says flatly. “Didn’t I?” 

“It’s probably none of my business, I’m sorry,” Sonic rambles. “I shouldn’t have asked--”

“It’s fine.” He takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. “In the past, I had a..... _ problem _ ,” he starts. “Which has since been resolved, but....” 

“Shadow, you really don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Sonic urges, squeezing his hand. “I completely get it. Some things are just...personal.” 

He knows Shadow won’t say it, but he’s visibly relieved. He exhales the breath he’d been holding and nods slowly. 

“I’d honestly rather not get into it, if that’s okay.” 

“Totally,” Sonic tells him. “Don’t worry about it.” 

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” 

“Of course.” He sits back. “I know you haven’t eaten anything since last night, and you’re probably starving,” he says, smiling. “What do you say we go down to the cafe and bother Knuckles for a bit?” 

Shadow hesitates, but returns the smile, chuckling through his nose as he nods. “Sure. Why not?”  


	17. Candle Light

Rouge is thankful when she finally sets foot in her apartment.

She shirks her heavy winter coat off her shoulders as she closes the door behind her, sighing heavily as she hangs it in the closet.

Vector was an asshole when he wanted to be- she’d realized this long before now. Her daily latenesses were finally catching up to her and the moment she’d let it slip that she and Knuckles _didn’t_ have Valentine’s plans, his petty side reared its ugly head. 

“‘Just type log some of this paperwork for me Wings, it won’t take you long,’” she mocks to herself, rolling her eyes as she passes through the living room. “‘It’s only ten case files. You can do it in no time. I trust ya.’” 

Rouge groans and presses open the door to her room, tossing her purse through the threshold as she flicks on the light. There were times that she’d forget that Vector was actually above her. The guy was so damn goofy at times that he seemed far from being her superior. It’s better than being written up, she supposes. Vector definitely seemed as if he wanted to flaunt his power lately, she decides it would be best not to test him. 

She glances down the stretch of hall that leads to Shadow’s bedroom, raising her brows at the dim light leaking out from underneath the door. 

That was odd- she could’ve sworn she’d heard Shadow mention earlier that he’d had a few errands to run after work. Knowing how meticulous he was, she’d expected him to be out at least until eight or nine. 

Rouge shrugs, lightly closing her door and starting down the hall. This was good, she needed to ask him about a few loose ends from the paperwork anyway. Shadow had a habit of not signing off on completed files and it made organizing everything a nightmare, especially knowing how tedious the commander was about little things like this.

She gently slides open Shadow’s door, poking her head in as she opens her mouth to speak. 

Rouge immediately gasps when her vision finally adjusts. Her hand clamps over her mouth as her eyes go wide at the sight before her. 

“Well _hello_ there--” 

_“Sonic?!”_

He shouts, his muzzle going bright red as he scrambles out of view. Rouge’s jaw is still on the floor, her eyes blinking furiously as she tries to absorb everything she’s just seen. He’s lucky that the candles lit along the window sill aren’t ridiculously bright, otherwise she’d have gotten a much better view of...

Well, _all_ of Sonic. 

“YOU’RE NOT SHADOW,” he pants, yanking the covers over his bare body. 

“I’m definitely not.” Rouge keeps her eyes locked on the ceiling, giving him a moment to make himself decent. “I’ll be honest, when you asked about our spare key, I didn’t think this was what you wanted it for.” 

A nervous grin spreads across his face and he laughs quietly, running a hand up through his quills. “Well uh, I thought you’d be on a date with Knuckles or something.” 

“He had to work tonight. We’re doing something for Valentine’s this weekend.” She replies, letting out the smallest snicker. “Listen, if it’s any consolation, all of this looks very romantic. I’m sure Shadow will love it.” 

“Heh, thanks,” Sonic says. “I spent like, an hour messing around with everything. Do you know how time consuming it is to pluck rose petals off one by one?” 

“Very, I assume. But Shadow will appreciate the gesture.” 

“He better. I pricked my finger like three times on those thorns.” He looks up from the duvet, flashing a nervous grin. “So, do you have any idea when he might be home?” 

“Well, it’s Wednesday.” Rouge starts. “Usually he runs errands today. I’d say within the next hour or so, if I had to guess.” 

“...Okay. Cool. I can hang tight for that long,” Sonic chuckles. “I’m---uh-- _sorry,_ that you had to see that.” 

“I’ve seen much more traumatizing things, Blue. You’re fine.” Rouge wraps a few fingers around the edge of the door. “I think I can make myself scarce for the night. You two have fun.”

Sonic gives a strained “goodbye” and exhales heavily once he hears the front door open and close. He’s mortified, but trying his hardest not to let this little fumble deter him. He’d spent a week concocting this plan for Shadow and he wasn’t about to chicken out in the home stretch. 

Sonic lets himself sink into the covers and lets out an exasperated groan. He hadn’t expected him to spend _this_ much time out of the apartment tonight. He’d been lying there naked for about an hour already, knowing he had roughly another until Shadow actually showed himself was a test of his patience. 

He’d been waiting calmly for this moment. This was the longest he’s ever been involved with someone without pouncing on them like a cheetah. It’s been _agonizing_ and being with Shadow was a huge exercise of restraint. He’s enthralled by Shadow's personality; he’s in awe at how composed and smart and _handsome_ he is. 

...But he’s also _horny_ , and _incredibly_ tired of waiting around. Sonic feels like he’s paced himself more than well enough in this case, he’s practically _earned_ it by now. 

He blinks a few times and exhales, feeling around for his phone as he returns to aimlessly scrolling through it. Hopefully, another episode of that popular sci-fi drama Silver hooked him on could get him through this next hour. 

———————————————

Shadow’s surprised that he doesn’t see Rouge’s bedroom light on when he gets in. 

He knows that she doesn’t have plans today; she wouldn’t shut up earlier about not being able to go out with Knuckles tonight. He’d half-expected to come home and see her curled up on the couch with a bottle of wine. 

Shadow doesn’t see an exhausted Rouge nursing a glass of sangria while watching some trashy rom-coms, however. The living room is dark and illuminated only by a few beams of moonlight streaming in from the balcony door. It’s somewhat peaceful, now that he thinks about it. He’d mentally prepared himself to get tipsy and indulge Rouge in a few glasses himself, and he’s a bit relieved that he doesn’t actually have to. 

Shadow slings his coat over his shoulder and starts down towards his room, only to pause once he catches a glimpse of his door. 

Why the hell was the light on? 

He squints. No, now that he’s looking closer, the glow leaking out from underneath his bedroom door is too dim to be any of overhead lights. Had he left his bathroom light on by accident when he’d left earlier this morning? 

That didn’t make sense either- he’s meticulous about things like this, especially since their electricity bills weren’t included in their rent. 

Shadow holds his narrowed gaze as he slowly approaches his bedroom door, cautiously sliding it open as his eyes scan the room. 

A wave of confusion washes over him as he lays eyes on his bed and the unconscious body under its sheets, snoring louder than an eighteen-wheeler.

“ _.....Sonic?_ ” 

He doesn’t know why he thought he’d hear him. He’d spent enough nights with Sonic by now to know that he was ridiculously heavy sleeper. The apartment could have erupted in flames and the most Sonic would’ve done was turn over and let out a sleepy groan. 

Shadow steps through the door gives his surroundings a closer look, flicking on the overhead lights as he examines everything. There were several miscellaneous candles lit around the room, all of which were either reaching their end or dripping wax onto the surface below them. He smells a conglomerate of citruses wafting through the air and guesses that Sonic hadn’t anticipated just _how_ overwhelming the collective scent of _seven_ candles could be. 

Shadow pinches a rose petal between his fingers as he approaches the bed, his eyes glancing up towards Sonic’s sleeping body. A myriad of questions swarm through his head. How long had he even been here? How did he get _in,_ better yet? 

Had he really thought to do all of this? All on his own? 

Shadow blinks in frustration and shakes his head. He needs answers. 

He places a hand of Sonic’s exposed shoulder and gently shakes him, speaking a bit louder.

“Sonic.” 

He sputters awake. Sonic blinks lazily and his eyes drift around the room, stopping when they finally fall on Shadow. His grogginess melts away. Sonic shoots up in bed like a rocket and stares wide-eyed at Shadow’s perplexed face.

“Shads!” he shouts. “You’re home! Shit. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. _Fuck--”_

“How what was supposed to go?” Shadow asks, folding his arms. “What are you even doing here? I thought you had an exam to study for.” 

Sonic chuckles. “I _may_ have stretched the truth a little bit...” 

“A little?” he questions. “You told me you’d be busy all night, but instead you _broke_ into my apartment--” 

“Actually, Rouge loaned me your spare key, so I really didn’t ‘break-in’ per se--” 

“Same difference,” Shadow cuts him off. “Would you care to elaborate on what exactly is going on here?” 

Sonic pouts, looking defeatedly at the rose petals scattered around the bed. “I wanted to surprise you.,” he says. “I did have an exam, but it was technically this morning.”

Shadow squints. “Uh-huh...” 

“I went out and bought all these roses and candles and stuff--which were actually _really_ expensive. You’d think a few dozen roses would be like, what, five bucks? I spent like thirty dollars on them—” 

“Are all these extraneous details even relevant?” 

“I’m getting to it,” Sonic says. “After I got home, I snuck in here and threw a little something together. I was _trying_ to be romantic but---Rouge kinda threw off my game...” 

Shadow furrows his brows. “How so?” 

“Well, she only saw my _entire_ naked ass, so there’s that.” 

“Excuse me?” he asks incredulously. “She did _what?”_

“She thought you were home and just opened the door.” He laughs nervously. “I don’t think she saw _too_ much, but, y’know... I think we’re much closer now than we were before...” 

Shadow’s eyes linger intensely on Sonic’s shoulders before scanning the outline of his figure underneath the covers. 

“You’re naked?” 

“...Yeah.” 

He pauses, debating which part of what Sonic’s just told him he wants to address first. It was already a lot to unpack. He’d expected nothing more tonight than to peel off his white-button down and throw himself into the shower before calling it a night. Now he’s got _a lot_ to consider. One of which being whether or not he’s willing to sacrifice a full night's rest on Sonic. 

Eh, the break room had a coffee machine for a reason. 

“First of all,” he begins. “I do wish you would’ve told me the truth. I wanted to take you out for dinner tonight.” 

Sonic mouth falls open. “Wait, what? Shads! That’s so awesome of you.” 

“It’s the least I could do,” he continues. “Second, I really do appreciate this gesture. It’s sweet. I can tell you put some thought into it.” 

“Aw, thanks. I’m stoked that you like it,” Sonic says. “I do kinda wish I would’ve gotten something other than orange-scented candles, though.” 

“I do too, but it doesn’t matter now,” Shadow smirks. “I don’t think either of us is going to be focused on that for too much longer.” 

Sonic’s breath hitches as he feels Shadow runs his fingers over his collarbone, his gaze locked on his deep, crimson eyes. He’s thrilled. He’d started to think that maybe Shadow would be too tired to actually entertain his little plot. Seeing the heat in his stare as his lips move towards him, however, was more than what he could ask for. 

Sonic’s floored. This isn’t quite like the other times they’ve kissed, or even made out. Sure, Shadow was normally a bit more dominant when it came to things like this, but the sheer aggression in his actions send Sonic reeling. He grips onto Shadow’s collar and pulls him closer, relishing in the taste of him on his lips. Shadow’s hand snakes up and tilts Sonic’s head back, giving him enough of a window to slide his tongue into his mouth. The moan it elicits is delicious. Sonic’s never seen him be so teasingly _sloppy_ before and it’s driving him up the wall. 

Shadow breaks away from his lips to latch onto Sonic’s neck, not wasting a second in biting down on the flesh beneath it. Sonic yelps, pulling at his boyfriend’s shirt as Shadow sucks hot, open-mouthed kisses into the sensitive area above his collarbone. 

Sonic knows it’ll leave a mark, but he doesn’t really care. Shadow’s working his neck like it’s _his,_ and it’s making Sonic throw every ounce of concern he has left out the window. 

“Hnng-- _lights--_ ” 

Shadow pulls away, glancing up at his face. “What?” 

“The lights---they’re still on--” 

He’s cut off by Shadow reaching across him. He fumbles with a small remote tucked away at the back of his nightstand until the white lights above fade into nothingness. Sonic looks up as his jaw hangs open. 

“Hold on, since when do they do _that?_ Can my lights do that--” 

“Hush.” Shadow’s fingers go his shirt buttons. “Focus on me right now.” 

Sonic’s eyes drip down his chest as that familiar patch of white fur is exposed, his teeth sinking into his lower lip at the sight. 

“Okay.” He nods. “I can do that.” 

“Good.” Shadow slips his shirt off his shoulders. “Lay back.” 

Sonic obliges him. His quills sink into the cool fabric of the pillows as Shadow pulls back the covers, baring his naked body to the cold air of the room. He hears Shadow suck in a sharp breath at the sight and chuckles as a smirk creeps across his face. 

“Like what you see?” he asks, Shadow’s lips ghosting over his.

“Mm, very much so.” he replies, kissing him hotly. “Well worth the wait.” 

The moment Shadow’s lips meet his again, Sonic throws caution to the wind. He hooks his arms around his neck and pulls him down fiercely, savoring his natural taste on his tongue. He barely notices how loud he’s moaning; Shadow’s gotten him so lost in their kisses that he feels disconnected from reality. 

Sonic could stay like this for hours, with Shadow’s lean chest pressing against his as his body weight holds him in place. It’s _intoxicating._ It feels almost automatic when Sonic kicks off the covers, wrapping his legs around Shadow’s clothed torso. 

Sonic’s more sensitive than he remembers. The sheer feeling of Shadow grinding against him through his pants is enough to pull a shuddering moan from his throat. He tightens his hold and rocks forward again, his head falling back as he gasps. 

 _“F--fuck...”_ He grips his shoulders. “ _Shit...._ I want you _so bad._ ” 

Shadow picks up where he left off, holding Sonic’s hips in place as he presses forward. He’d heard Sonic moan before, but never quite like this. It’s breathy and heady and exhilarating to hear; Shadow hasn’t even taken his pants off yet and he’s already having trouble keeping it together.. 

“You know, sometimes I do forget just how loud you can be,” Shadow leans back, swiftly undoing his belt. “It’s a shame. You won’t have much of a voice left after this.” 

Sonic chuckles.  “You sure? I’m pretty tough.” 

“Listen,” Shadow scoffs. “I’m not sure how many people you’ve had the pleasure of sleeping with, but I can assure you- I’m not like some college boy you’d hook up with after a party.” 

“Oh? Is that right?” Sonic questions, smirking. “How so?” 

Shadow doesn’t reply--he tugs his pants over his hips and Sonic inhales sharply as he leans over top of him, rutting the whole of his length between Sonic’s legs. Sonic whines, digging his fingers into the muscles of Shadow’s back. He was going to die if he didn’t get what he wanted _soon_. He’s practically trembling with anticipation and Shadow’s manhandling him like a bag in the wind. 

The black hedgehog brings a hand to Sonic’s flushed cheek and his thumb grazes his lower lip, a sultry look in his eye. “You’ll see.”  

Sonic sucks in a breath as their gazes lock. He can feel the heat rising to his face, Shadow’s staring at him like he’s exercising an astronomical amount of restraint and it’s doing nothing to help Sonic keep his composure. 

Shadow’s noticed. He’s seeing the tell tale signs of Sonic slowly losing control. He’s panting, there’s a hazy look behind his eyes and he’s gnawing at his bottom lip. His fingers are digging into Shadow’s shoulders and he tenses every time the black hedgehog moves his hips in the slightest. Sonic wants this. _Badly._  

“You’re desperate, aren’t you?”

“Uh, _yeah_ I’m desperate.” Sonic says. “I’ve wanted this since we first _met._ I’m losing my fucking _mind_ over here, Shads.” 

He whines in protest when Shadow leans away, only to perk up when he sees what he’d fished around in the nightstand for. His lips part ever so slightly as he keeps his eyes locked on Shadow’s, his cold, slick fingers slipping between his legs. 

Sonic hisses and his eyes snap shut. His hands wrench on Shadow’s shoulders as a digit presses into him. It’d been over a year since anyone had done this to him; he hasn’t been in practice recently enough for the initial pain not to gnaw at him a bit. 

He feels a hand cup his cheek and he looks up, staring back at Shadow’s concerned face. 

“Are you alright?” 

Sonic nods. “Yeah. ‘S just....been a while,” he gasps. 

“Do you want me to slow down?” 

“Nah,” he shakes his head. “Just gimme a sec. I can take it.” 

It takes more than a second, but Sonic eventually relaxes. He gives Shadow’s wrist an affirmatory squeeze and urges him forward, groaning as his fingers sink in. It’s still incredibly tight, but Shadow’s working him well enough that he knows it won’t be an issue for much longer. 

It was strange, Sonic was always usually the one with the most stamina. He’d outlast his partners round after round before even showing a _little_ bit of fatigue- now he feels as if he’s on the edge of consciousness. Shadow’s fingers become more daring as he sees Sonic’s breathless reactions; the moment he presses them against a certain bundle of nerves Sonic cries out, his entire body tensing as he grits his teeth. 

 “ _FUCK,”_ he pants. “Shit---Shadow--- _please_ \---” 

Shadow feels his hormones taking over. He curls his fingers up again and revels in the moan it draws out. 

“Please _what?_ ”

 _“Fuck me,”_ Sonic says through his teeth. “ _I want you.”_

It’s more than enough for him. Sonic shudders as Shadow pulls out and pushes him further back onto the bed, leaning back on his knees after he tugs his boxers completely off. 

Sonic glances up. Shadow’s fumbling with a condom and the sight of him smoothing lube over himself is almost enough to make him rip a hole in the sheets. 

“Holy fuck,” Sonic breathes, giving the smallest grin. “I can’t wait to ride you.” 

Shadow smirks and climbs over top of him, nudging his legs further apart. “Noted.” 

Before Sonic can even utter a response, he feels Shadow’s his press forward and his words fizzle out into a broken cry. His eyes snap shut and he clenches his jaw so tight he’s scared he might pop a blood vessel. 

“Chaos. Good fucking _God--_ ” His chest heaves. “Why is your dick is so fucking _big_ \--” 

“Is it too much? Do you want me to stop?” 

“‘Too much?’” Sonic scoffs. “Please. Just go slow. I’ll tell you if I can’t handle it.” 

Shadow follows his direction, slowly easing in until he’s bottomed out. He’s watching Sonic’s facial expressions like a hawk, taking close care not to push him past his limits. 

It takes a few minutes of deep breathing, but eventually he gives him the okay. Shadow still wants to take it easy, however. He knows Sonic has a habit of biting off more than he can chew. 

The moment Shadow develops a slow, but steady pace, Sonic feels his body heat up. It’s everything he’d ever wanted and more- the feeling of Shadow’s hips snapping against his was tearing moan after moan from Sonic’s ragged throat. It’s nearly hypnotizing. The low hum of pleasure funneling up from his groin flows through his body and nearly renders him boneless as Shadow fucks him through it. 

Sonic can tell Shadow’s having trouble keeping his composure. Every so often he’ll pick up his pace for a few seconds only to slow back down. He’s tired of the circle jerk and is more than well adjusted to him by now.

He needs _more_.

“Shads--” 

Shadow pauses briefly, staring down at Sonic. 

“What?” 

“Harder.” 

Something flickers behind his eyes and Shadow pushes up off his hands, slipping them under Sonic’s legs instead. The brief moment of confusion he has is stifled by the feeling of Shadow pressing his knees back beside his head and plunging his hips forward.

“FUCK!” Sonic tosses his head back. “ _Shadow!_ ” 

His name on Sonic’s tongue pulls a raspy groan from his mouth. It’s agonizingly deep and it sends shockwaves through his entire body every time Shadow pushes back in. He snaps his hips forward over and over, relishing in the whines it drags out of Sonic. 

He leans down and captures Sonic’s lip in a sloppy kiss, it’s graceless and aggressive and sends Sonic’s head skyrocketing. He’s barely able to keep himself together through it. He keeps taking breaks to gasp but it doesn’t deter Shadow, his tongue is still prodding deep in his mouth and suffocating him in the best way possible. 

Shadow pulls back and revels in the work he’s done. He fixates on Sonic’s reddened lips as they contort and twitch with every thrust. He’d thought so intensely about this moment, being able to watch Sonic’s rosy face as he cries out in ecstasy. He’d pictured it over and over again the nights he’d laid in bed, jerking mercilessly at himself as he grunted the blue hedgehog’s name; gripping at the sheets with a desperate fist as ragged breaths wrack through his chest. He’d reveled in the vision of Sonic’s silent cry; thought tirelessly shoving him down into the mattress and wrecking him until he couldn’t stand. 

The real thing was somehow miles better. He’s _beautiful_ . His lips are caught open in a silent cry and his face is wrought with euphoria. Shadow still needs _more_ however-, he needs to _see_ that  dazed look in Sonic’s eyes. 

He reaches down and takes a hold of his jaw, holding his head in place.

“Eyes on me,” he growls. “No hiding.” 

Sonic whines, tears pooling at the corners of his vision. 

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Shadow says between thrusts, his eyes dazed. “Wanted this--for _so_ long--” 

_“Shadow--”_

“You’re mine _.”_ He snarls, pressing his forehead against Sonic’s. “ _Only mine..._ ” 

Sonic’s shaking. He stares into Shadow’s blown-out pupils and quivers at the prickling sensations pooling in his groin. 

“Fuck--” he chokes out, gripping himself between his legs. “I’m yours. Shit---I’m fucking _yours--”_

It’s too much. Shadow knows he’s close. Sonic’s moans are ringing off the walls and his hips are growing so erratic it’s difficult to keep a steady rhythm. 

He gives it his all. Shadow leans forward, burying his face in his neck, taking in the sweet scent of his fur. It’s unbelievable. Shadow had had his doubts; he’d tried not to set his expectations too high in an effort not to disappoint himself. He’s stunned, however, by how much he wants this--how much he _needs this._

How much he _loves_ this. 

Sonic comes with almost no warning and a loud, broken cry of Shadow’s name, his free hand wrenching in his quills as his body staggers through his climax. It zaps away his energy and leaves him like a dead battery, trembling under Shadow as he rides the waves of his aftershocks. 

Shadow tries not to overstimulate Sonic too severely, but doesn’t really succeed. He thrusts through every motion and practically roars as he follows close behind, his peak ripping through him like a hurricane. He clutches Sonic’s legs in a death grip as he spills inside of him, his breath wracking his chest like he’s just run a marathon. 

All either of them can do is stare at one another in awe. It’s mind blowing and well-deserved all at the same time and neither of them knows quite what to say. 

“.....Shads...” 

“ _Sonic_.” 

“That was... _.insane..._ ” he replies, weakly smiling through the exhaustion. “I never wanna leave you.” 

Shadow’s not sure whether it’s the post-sex burnout loosening his inhibitions or something else at work, but he smiles back, running a hand down Sonic’s cheek. The mattress gives a bit as he moves a bit closer, tenderly pressing his lips against his. It’s soft and radiates a familiar comfort through the blue hedgehog’s chest, gently bringing him back down to earth after the night’s events.

Shadow leans away and his merlot eyes lack the coldness they normally carry. All Sonic can see is the warmth behind them as they linger on his face, the black hedgehog’s fingers gently caressing the skin of his cheek.

 “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being patient loves ~ <3

**Author's Note:**

> Well. Here we are folks.
> 
> I hope yall enjoyed it so far and I'll catch you cool cats next week. PS, my tumblr is @silenthillzone too so drop by if yall're feelin friendly
> 
> Aight BYE


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